Bending the Rules
by AlyssKelly
Summary: Tony and Ziva finally get their crap together during the time between resigning and Gibbs looking down the sight of the gun. Life gets pretty rough, especially when someone unexpectedly comes into their lives. Can they adjust to this major change? Set after season ten.
1. Chapter 1

Rule 12 More than Friends

It had been three months since they had turned in their badges. They had no other choice. Gibbs was their father and they had to protect him. Ziva David sat on her couch reading a book her friend and ex-coworker, Timothy McGee, had recently released. She was just scanning the page, not really absorbing any information. Her mind kept drifting to the wreck that her and Tony Dinozzo had been in. Then, it kept shifting to the last thing she could remember before the world went dark. _We held hands, _she thought to herself. Her thoughts then shifted to the day at the cabin Gibbs was staying in during all the crap that had gone down three months ago. _He kissed my forehead, not my lips, but still he kissed me. _

Suddenly, the sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her trance. It was Tony. She took a deep breath and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ziva. I need to talk to you." He sounded worried.

"Well, you are talking now. What's up?" She knew better than to say that. She knew that he meant in person, but she wanted to hear him say it.

"No. Ziva I need to see you. Can you come over? We can watch a movie or something."

"Okay. I will be there in 20 minutes." She hung up and went to change clothes. She decided to wear the OSU shirt that he had given to her. She put that on and changed into jeans. She slipped her tennis shoes on and headed out the door.

She reached his house in 15 minutes. She knocked on the door and didn't have to wait long for a response. He smiled at her when he opened the door. "Hey," he said with his famous Tony Dinozzo smile. She smiled back as she entered the house. "Do you want a drink?" he asked her, walking into the kitchen.

"Sure. What decade did you choose the movie from this time? Eighties? Nineties? Or more recent than that?"

"I figured I would shake it up a little bit and let you choose the movie tonight. After all, you have watched plenty of movies of my liking." He walked in carrying a bottle of her favorite wine. He poured her a glass and then himself one. "Do you know what movie you would like to watch?"

"I was thinking we could watch a type of movie we usually don't. Like a romantic comedy." She could see that he wasn't sure about that, but he agreed and the found one on the Movie Channel. They decided to watch a movie about two people who had to pretend to be in love with each other because they lost a bet. Tony popped popcorn and poured them more wine. Tony glanced at Ziva. _Why does she have to be so beautiful? Why can't I just tell her how I really feel about her? I don't want us to be friends. I want us to be more._ Just then, Ziva put her head on his shoulder. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her. She looked up at him and smiled. "What did you need to talk to me about?" Ziva asked, just now remembering the reason she was here in the first place. She felt his body tense up at the words. "I am worried about Gibbs. He hasn't called, no one has heard from him. Hell, the least he could do is write. What if something happens? What if he doesn't come back? Ziva, what if we lose him?" He had tears in his eyes. Ziva had never seen Tony cry. The sight made her sick. Then, as his word settled, the thought of losing the only man who had actually treated her like she was his daughter was too much. Tony noticed her deep thought and grabbed her hand to bring her back to Earth. He gazed into her light brown eyes and saw terror. Then, he felt her close her fingers around his. His body relaxed a little and she said, "I'm sure he will be fine. This is Gibbs we are talking about. He would not dare do that to us," she said with a smile.

"Ziva David, you are absolutely right." She smiled as his body relaxed fully. They continued watching the movie. Ziva turned her head and nuzzled into Tony's neck. "Ziva?" Tony asked.

"Yes?' She answered into his neck.

"Do you remember back at the cabin when I said we were still friends? I have been thinking since then and I don't want to be just friends. I want to be more then friends."

"Are you sure you are not drunk?" She asked. When she looked up into his bright green eyes, he looked hurt. "I mean, are you sure you want to try this again? We have been interrupted by something every time we tried."

"This time will be different," he said. "I promise."

"What about rule 12? We cannot just go against Gibbs."

"I don't care about his rules. Well, actually I do, and I will get about 5 headslaps, but this is something I can't just shake off."

"I agree, but if we do this, won't we just be beating a dead goat?"

"Horse, Ziva, and it won't be the same as last time because this time, I know what it is like to be without you. I can't do that anymore. I love you."

"I love you too." On the screen, the couple that was pretending to be in love were swimming in the lake. Tony turned to Ziva. He cupped her check and looked into her eyes. Ziva put her arms around his neck, and his hands traveled to her waist. He leaned closer. They had both been wanting the space between them to disappear, and now it was. All thoughts of what could go wrong left both of their minds. Their lips met. Tony's hands slowly moved to her back, pushing her closer. They pulled back and smiled. Ziva put her head back on his shoulder and kissed his neck. Rule 12 was officially broken.


	2. Chapter 2

When the movie ended, the two were still snuggling on the couch. Ziva got up and was about to leave when Tony said, "You can stay here if you want. I have a bigger bed now. I couldn't stand sleeping on the same bed that my father and that woman… you know…"

"I do not have anything to wear to bed,"

"You can borrow something of mine." The two made their way to the bedroom and Tony opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for her to wear. She gladly accepted and went to the bathroom to change. She decided that since the shirt went down past her butt, she would just wear it. When she came out, Tony was staring blankly at the wall. He was in his boxers and a skin-tight shirt. "What are you thinking about?"

"Someone has been paying my bills for my rent, electricity, and all that other crap. I don't know who, but when I go to the place to pay, they say it has already been paid for the month."

"I have been having the same thing happen to me. I have just thought my memory was getting bad." She stood in front of him. He looked up at her, '_God, those eyes! They are so damn beautiful. She is too.' _Tony thought to himself. Ziva leaned down to kiss him. His hands found her hips. She pushed him back and lay on top of him. Her hands found the hem of his shirt and pulled it off of him. His hands slipped under her shirt and she shivered. He was wrapping the shirt around his hands, pulling it up. Ziva kissed Tony'y neck and jaw. Her shirt came off. Ziva could feel him becoming harder against her stomach. She hooked her thumbs on waistband of his boxers and slowly began pulling them off. When they were off, she was amazed at how big he was, She smiled as he began pulling her panties off. He rolled them so that he was on top. When he entered her, she let out what sounded like a scream/moan. He let her decide when he could start moving. She started moving under him, so he started thrusting into her. He put her legs over his shoulders and pounded her. It was only a few minutes when she released. She grabbed his head and pulled him into a hard kiss. He felt his climax start to build, and within a minute or two, he groaned as his orgasm slammed into him.

They just stayed there for a few minutes, trying to get their senses together. He pulled out and flopped down on the other side of the bed. She pressed her back to his chest. He wrapped his arm around her. They both fell asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, Ziva turned to look at Tony, who was still asleep. She rested her head on his chest, and grabbed his hand. She lay like that until he woke up. "Good morning, sleepy head," she said to him.

"What time is it?"

"Almost nine." He stroked her hair with his free hand. When they finally decided they should get up, Ziva walked to the bathroom to take a shower. She was turning the shower on when Tony walked into the bathroom. "Care if I join you?" He asked in a kind of childish way. She nodded her head and they both got in the shower. Tony hugged her from behind and kissed her neck. "I have to wash my hair," she said, giggling a little bit. She turned around to see him pouting like a kid. He was also holding the shampoo behind his back. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. She wrapped her hands around him and then, grabbed the bottle of shampoo. "Hey! That wasn't fair!" He yelled.

"I told you I had to wash my hair."

When they finished their shower, Tony grabbed her towel before she could even reach for it. She chased him through the house. Eventually, she lunged at him and tackled him. She was straddling him and got her towel back. "Damn, Ziva. You could make a lineman's tackle look like a piece of shit." She grinned and stood up.

They decided to go out and get breakfast together. "So what have you been up to the past three months?" Tony asked her.

"I went to Israel for three weeks, and I had lunch with Abby a few times. Other than that, nothing exciting has really happened."

"Well, I had lunch with McGoo a couple of times. Have you read his new book yet? I bet this one is even more annoying than the other ones," Tony said. They finished their breakfast and went to the park. They walked around, enjoying the Saturday morning air. Tony took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. She smiled at him. His eyes looked like a lime color almost. She always loved how his eyes expressed how he was feeling. Suddenly, they heard a scream and gunshots from behind them. They turned around and saw a woman standing over a body. They ran over to the people and saw a horrible sight. The man had been shot five times in the chest. Ziva saw that he had dog tags hanging around his neck. She knelt down to see the ID. _'Of course, he is a marine, which means NCIS will be investigating this murder.'_ Tony was talking to the woman trying to figure out what had happened. "We were just walking, and someone shot him. I didn't see them."

"Are you sure?" Tony asked the woman. She nodded. Ziva pulled out her cell phone and called NCIS. She reported a dead marine in the park. She wondered who would be coming. It wasn't going to be Gibbs' team. She already knew that. "Tony, I can't stay and watch another team do what we would have been doing. It would break my heart," Ziva said. She had tears in her eyes. Tony grabbed her hand and took her away from the area.

They sat down at a table and Tony stared into her eyes. _'He is about to ask me something.' _"Are you sure you're okay? You haven't shown any of the weakness that had overcome you three months ago until that happened. Did something bother you?"

"Tony, I have been thinking about what all happened and it is too much. My father was killed, and the man who did it tried to ruin my life. He didn't get to go to prison for the awful thing he did, and Parsons was an absolute dick to the whole team. We had to resign for Gibbs, and he probably doesn't even know. Gibbs has not contacted us since the day he left, and we have no way of knowing if he is okay or not," by the end of the last sentence, she was crying. She dropped her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her. They stayed like that for about 10 minutes. When she stopped crying, Tony kissed the top of her head. "Let's go home now." They got up and walked to the car. They had to pass the crime scene again. Standing off to the side, was the director of NCIS, Leon Vance. He saw them and started walking towards them. "Dinozzo and David, its nice to see you."

"Same to you director," they both said.

"I have something I would like to discuss with you. Can you be in my office by 10 a.m. Monday morning?" Vance asked them.

"Yes, sir," And with that, they continued to the car.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey guys! So I didn't write an author's note before because I didn't know if anyone would even read this story. I appreciate your excitement for my story. I know that the whole "someone had been paying my bills" thing was stupid, but I didn't know what job to give them. It will make more sense as the story goes on. I might not be able to put a new chapter up every day because my computer is an absolute piece off shit. It will just show a blank screen when I try to publish a new chapter. So, I have to use my dad's. But I promise I will continue with the story as long as you keep reading. Please leave a review on what you think.

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WRITE FANFICTION ABOUT TIVA IF I DID, BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALREADY BE TOGETHER. **

Ziva asked Tony to take her home so that she could change. They were going out to dinner that night, so she figured a new outfit would probably be the best thing. She had bought a new house that spring before they had resigned. Tony walked her to the door. "I guess I will see you tonight," he said. She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Yes, you will."

She watched him as he walked down to his car. He gave her one last wave and drove away. She walked into her house and immediately felt uneasy. She reached for the knife that she always carried with her. She also grabbed her phone and had Tony's number ready just in case. She walked to the back of the house, careful not to make the slightest noise. She walked into her bedroom and pushed the call button on her phone when a hand came from behind her and covered her mouth, She tried to slab her attacker, but they grabbed her arm and the knife. She turned around and punched her attacker in the face. When he turned back, her stomach dropped. It was Parsons. She was about to kick him, but then, he pulled out a gun and had it aimed at her head, "Game over, David. You make the slightest movement, and I will shoot you right between the eyes." She stood still. She saw movement behind him. In the doorway down the hall, she saw McGee with a metal bar in his hand. Ziva knew she had to cause a distraction. "What do you want?" She snarled.

"I simply want to know why you resigned. What did Gibbs have to hide?" McGee was almost right behind him.

"That is none of your business. We do not work for NCIS anymore, so we don't have to answer questions that are related." McGee nodded at her and hit him behind his knees. Parsons fell to the ground. McGee picked up his foot and kicked him hard in the face. Right before, however, he took the shot. McGee looked into Ziva's eyes with terror before she fell to the ground.

McGee rushed to her side. He got his phone out and called an ambulance. He thought about calling Tony, but he was already crying, so Tony would be worried from the start. She was still breathing, and her pulse was normal. He still had the operator on the line. She told him the ambulance was only a few miles away from his location. McGee had been fixing the computer at the house next door, and saw Parsons go in the back door. He knew where Ziva's spare key was, so he used the front door. He hid in the kitchen until Ziva got home. He had a metal bar in his hand from her yard. He didn't know why it was there, but he would figure that out later. He crept down the hallway and into a room. When he came out, Ziva made eye contact with him. She kept Parsons talking until he could get behind him. He hit him behind the knees so he would fall. Then his foot connected with Parsons' nose. Not before the shot was fired.

Tony was driving down the road when his phone started to ring. He looked down and saw Ziva's face come up on the screen, He smiled as he picked up the phone and answered. "Miss me already, sweet cheeks?" He heard her grunting and then he heard a fist connect with someone. He pulled over when he heard the click of a gun. Then, when he heard Parsons all too familiar voice, he felt sick. _"Game over David. You make the slightest movement, and I will shoot you right between the eyes."_ He turned the car around and listened to the rest of the conversation. He then heard metal hit something and a loud thud, His heart stopped when he heard the shot and someone fall to the floor.

**A/N: I know its like super short, but I have a busy schedule this evening. I promise the next chapter will be longer. Don't worry, I'm sure Ziva will be fine... maybe ;). Anyway, please tell me what you think. I will hopefully have the next chapter up tomorrow. Thank you for reading. **


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So the last chapter was kind of short, but this one should make up for it. I know that my writing probably sucks, but I just had an idea and you apparently like it, so as long as you continue liking it, I will continue writing. Please tell me if you like it, or if I just need to stop and go die in a hole or something.

**Anyway, I'm talking too much right now. So, on with the show! Please enjoy!**

** DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS. BLAH BLAH BLAH. SOME MORE STUPID SHIT WE ALL ALREADY KNOW. **

Tony was driving to her house. He wasn't going to accept reality. She probably is the one who took the shot. It was Parsons who hit the floor. He kept telling himself that, but he knew better.

When he got to her house, he noticed that McGee's car was parked at the neighbor's house. He ran inside, and back to her room. He wanted to wake up from the horrible nightmare he saw. McGee was holding Ziva's head in one hand, and had the other one holding his own t-shirt against her chest. "McGee, what the hell happened?" McGee turned around and Tony saw tears streaming down his face.

"Parsons broke into her house and I saw him. I got her spare key and a metal bar that was in her front yard. I hid in the kitchen until she got home. She grabbed her knife and phone and walked slowly back here. I followed, without her knowing. Parsons came up behind her and she turned around and punched him. He pulled out a gun and had it aimed right at her head. I was sneaking up behind him. Ziva saw me and distracted him while I came up. I hit him behind the knees and he fell. I slammed my foot down on his face, but he had already taken the shot." Tony came to McGee's side, and took Ziva's head in his hand. By now, he was crying also. Blood was coming through the t-shirt. Tony kissed Ziva's forehead.

They heard the sirens and McGee ran out to tell them where they needed to come. They put Ziva on a stretcher and then they got Parsons. They wouldn't allow anyone in the ambulance with her, so McGee offered to drive. Tony got in the passenger seat. They drove in silence to the hospital. When they got there, the paramedics already had Ziva hooked up to a breathing machine. They rushed her through the doors and down the hall. Tony and McGee had to wait in the lobby.

Vance, Ducky, Palmer, and Abby all showed up about an hour later. The whole family was here, except for Gibbs. That was the one person Tony needed the most right now. Abby was collapsed and crying in McGee's arms. Palmer and Ducky were sitting in silence. Vance was on the phone. Tony was pacing in front of the door. They waited for what seemed like years. The doctor finally came through the door. "She isn't conscious yet, but I will allow one person to come in her room." Tony walked through the doors and waited for the doctor to show him to her room. She had a breathing mask on and a bandage on the right side of her chest. She looked calm, but she was as beautiful as ever. He pulled up a chair beside her and grabbed her hand. Tears fell from his eyes. He sat there, and eventually fell asleep.

When he woke, he felt a hand holding his back. His head snapped up and the first thing he saw was her sepia eyes looking at him. "How long have you been awake?" He asked. She couldn't answer because of the mask, but she smiled at him anyway. Tony gave her hand a squeeze and got up. He kissed her forehead and left the room. He went to the nurses' station. "Ziva David is awake now," he told them.

"Thank you for informing us of that," she picked up the phone and made a call. Tony went back to the room and sat down again. She gave him a weak smile and reached for his hand. He took it and laced his fingers with hers. All too soon, the doctor came in and told Tony he had to leave while they did a few tests and asked her a few questions.

When the tests were done, the doctor came out. "The bullet hit at an angle, so it didn't do much damage. She can breathe normally, and can now communicate. She should be out by Tuesday. That is the earliest we can promise."

"Thank you, doctor," Tony said. "Can the rest of my friends visit her as they please?"

"Yes, but don't overwhelm her." Tony walked into the room and gave her a nice, long kiss. She scooted over to give him room to lay beside her. "Thank you, sweet cheeks."

"Your welcome. Please tell me you didn't kill Parsons?"

"I didn't, but I wanted to. I figured you would want to do that yourself. McGee to the rescue. Did you know he was at your neighbor's house fixing the computer?" She shook her head. "He said he saw Parsons break into your home. He got your spare key and found a metal bar in your front yard. He hid in the kitchen and you saw the rest."

"If Gibbs finds out about this, he is going to personally shoot Parsons right behind the ear." Tony laughed at her comment and grabbed her hand. "You really had me scared. I thought I was about to lose the most important thing in the world to me. I would have probably killed myself. You mean the world to me. I can't lose you," he had tears in his eyes. She put her hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch. "You won't ever lose me. The one thing I thought about before I blacked out was your face. That is what kept me fighting. I don't think the bullet did enough damage to kill me, but I wasn't taking any chances. I love you too much to leave you," Tony smiled at her. She moved her hand to the back of his head and pulled him into a kiss. She rested her head on his chest and fell asleep. Tony put his arm around her, still keeping the other in her hand. He put his head on top of hers. He had the most wonderful woman any man could ask for in his arms right now. He couldn't be happier.

**A/N: Kind of a sappy, sweet moment there at the end, but who cares. I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are helpful, like a lot. I might have the next chapter up later today since I got this one up so early. The next chapter will probably be about them trying to get back to work. Vance has something to tell them, and I think we all know where this is headed. So, that was kind of a spoiler alert. Sorry. Well, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Tell me if I should continue. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and follows. Yes, Ziva is okay. I wasn't going to kill her. That would be dumb. Gibbs hasn't been heard from since the day they turned their badges in. Maybe they will hear from him in one of the upcoming chapters. The meeting with Vance will be in this chapter as well. It won't be at his office because Ziva can't leave the hospital yet. I hope you enjoy. Please tell me what you think. **

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL DO NOT OWN NCIS. I WISH I DID, BUT I DON'T.**

Tony woke up from his nap about an hour later. He stretched and got up to go to the bathroom. He decided to call McGee while he was up. He dialed the number. "Tony! Is Ziva okay?"

"She's fine McWorrisome. You should probably come see her. I bet she wants to thank you. I do too. If you hadn't been there, she probably would have tried to fight Parsons and he would have killed her."

"Your welcome. I'm happy i was there too. I don't think any of us can live without Ziva. I will be there soon." McGee hung up. Tony went back to the room. Ziva was right were he left her. She had a frown on her face and was starting to toss and turn. _'She's having a nightmare.'_ Tony thought to himself. He walked across the room and lay beside her again. He had to wake her up before she started screaming. He shook her lightly and she slowly opened her eyes. "Thank you for waking me up. How can you always tell when I am having a nightmare?"

"You frown, and then you start to toss and turn. If i don't wake you up soon, you start to scream. I figured it probably wouldn't be good if you started screaming here." She looked at him and smiled. "What was this one about?"

"It was Parsons. He had the gun up to my head, but I was back Somalia. You were screaming for him to let me go. He turned and shot you. He was dragging me back to a room where they tortured you. He had a needle that would make me feel like my whole body was on fire. You woke me up right before he injected it." Her eyes were wide with terror as she recalled the nightmare. Tony just held her close and kissed her forehead. "I would never let them take you back to that awful place. I will be by your side until the end of time. They won't put a finger on you. I promise."

McGee walked into the room with a bouquet of flowers. He already had them in a vase. Tied to the vase was a balloon that said 'Get Well Soon!'. Ziva smiled as he put it on the table next to her bed. "Good morning, McGee. How are you?"

"I'm good, Ziva. Thank you for asking." He sat in the chair that was next to her bed. "Where's Tony?" he asked.

"He went home to take a shower and change clothes. He is also supposed to be bringing me lunch." She laughed a bit. McGee smiled at her. "Listen, Tim. I wanted to thank you for being there. I probably would have done something stupid if you had not been."

"I was fixing the computer at your neighbor's house and I saw Parsons break in. There was a metal bar in your front yard, so i grabbed it and your spare key and hid in the kitchen until you got home. I followed you down the hallway. Then you saw the rest." McGee had tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him from taking the shot, Ziva. I thought I kicked him in time."

"I do not blame you, McGee. You stopped him from shooting me in the head. Don't blame yourself. At least i am alive." McGee smiled. He was happy to have a friend like her. He would do anything for her. One, because he was scared of her sometimes, and two, she was his friend. "That's the important thing. You are alive."

Tony came back half an hour later with three sandwiches. "I just got something simple because I didn't know what to get. Is this okay with everyone?"

"Should be fine," Ziva said.

"Thank you, Tony," McGee said.

"You're welcome, McElf Lord." McGee rolled his eyes. He hated the whole 'Elf Lord' thing. Ziva laughed. The three sat and talked for a while. Abby came in around 2 o' clock. "Ziva! I'm so glad you're okay!" She came up beside her and gave her a slightly less painful hug than she usually gives. "Good to see you too, Abby," Tony said, pretending to look hurt. She ran to the other side of the bed and gave Tony a bone-crushing hug. He would normally tell her to get off by now, but he had missed her. "I've missed you!" She exclaimed.

"I've missed you too, Abbs."

Monday morning, Vance came into the room with a couple of files. Since the incident with Ziva occurred, McGee would be at this meeting as well. He was going to the meeting anyway, but it would be in the room now. He slid the door closed and pulled the curtain, as well. He drew the table up and put the files down. "I've heard you haven't started a new job yet. Why?" Of course he got right down to business.

"Every place I looked for one turned me down. I tried over ten. My bills were paid thought," Tony said. Ziva's answer was basically the same. McGee said, "The only luck I have had was fixing computers at friends' houses. I have the same situation with the bills." Vance nodded. "Do you know why you haven't been able to get a job and your bills have been paid?" They shook their heads. "NCIS has been looking into what jobs you were applying for. I contacted the agencies and told them not to give you the job. I have done this because we were out of hot water with Parsons and I would like to invite you back to NCIS. The agency has also been paying your bills so that you wouldn't be living out on the street. I know this is confusing, but we need our three best agents back. Are you willing to accept the offer?" The three of them just stared in disbelief. Finally, Tony spoke up, "I am willing to take my job back."

"As am I," Ziva said. McGee just nodded. "I do have one question thought," Ziva said. Vance raised his eyebrows. "Will Gibbs be returning?"

"He is currently on a mission, but he should be back within a month or two. Until then, Tony will be the leader." Ziva nodde her head. "Well, you can pick your badges and guns up from security tomorrow morning. Agent David, you can return next week. I will not allow you to do so any sooner. You will not be allowed in the field until I am sure you can handle it," Vance handed them each a folder and told them goodbye. Then, he left.

**A/N: So, they got their jobs back. Yayy! Tony will be the head until Gibbs returns, Ziva can't do field work (I don't think she is going to be happy about that), and there should be more TIVA moments in th next few chapters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me what you think. The next chapter should be up tomorrow morning. Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted anything recently. I have been up for like, 48 hours straight. If this chapter doesn't make sense, it is because I am in desperate need of sleep. I appreciate the reviews, follows, and favorites. I will keep writing if you keep reading. I am also open to suggestions. Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS. AS I CONTINUE TO LET YOU KNOW. BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS BY NOW!**

When Tuesday morning came, Tony carried all of Ziva's 'Get Well Soon' gifts to his car. Tony would take her to his apartment, pack a bag, and they were going to stay at her house because it would be easier for her to get back into the groove of things if she was at home. When Tony walked back into the hospital to help Ziva to the car, the doctor stopped him. "Mr. Dinozzo. Ziva might need help keeping water out of the wound. She might need assistance taking a bath. She needs to put something over it, or keep it above the water. You can help her as long as you can do that without having sex with her. I'm afraid she cannot handle that yet. If you can't manage that, I will give you the number of nurse who can." Tony thought about his words for a minute and finally replied, "I can manage that, Doc. Just make sure you tell me when she can handle that." The doctor just gave him a smirk and walked away.

They got into the car and started driving. Ziva put her hand on Tony's knee. He put his hand on top of hers. "So, you are going into work after you drop me off at home?" Ziva asked him.

"No, I called Vance and told him that I would be helping you until you could do everything normally again. He said that was okay. I will be helping you until the doctor tells you Friday that you can resume all normal activities." She nodded and looked out the window. Clouds were forming in the sky. It was going to rain. Ziva loved rain. She always thought of it as the world cleansing itself from evil. She knew this was not true, because if it was, she would still have her father. She would still have the normal job that she had three months ago. She wouldn't have been shot. It was a good thought either way.

They picked up lunch on the way to Ziva's house. They got to her house and walked in the front door. "Is it possible for me to take a shower?" She asked Tony.

"The doctor said that you couldn't get water in the wound. I have to assist you," he smiled when he said the last sentence. She rolled her eyes and walked towards the back of her house. When she got to her room, she saw a blood stain on the floor. Tony saw it, too. He walked back out of the room and grabbed paper towels and cleaning supplies. He wasn't going to be able to look at that stain. He scrubbed for what seemed like ages. Ziva sat on her bed and read a magazine.

When the stain was finally gone, Ziva got her old NCIS sweatpants and the OSU shirt Tony had brought just for her. Tony had the bath set already. He still had his clothes on. "Aren't you going to join me?" She asked him.

"The doctor said he would only let me be the one to assist you if I promised it wouldn't end in sex. I had to consider the options, but I decided to do what was best for you. I am just going to make sure you keep it out of the water." She gave him a look that said he was probably going to lose this battle, but he wouldn't go down without a fight. "I would not let it get as far as sex, Tony. I wouldn't last two seconds. I do, however, want you to just put this waterproof bandage over it and hold it there until I get out. It is that simple." She looked into his eyes. They were almost shamrock colored. She stepped closer to him. He was looking out for her. She knew this. If he didn't want to do this, he didn't have to. "All you have to do is sit on the edge of the tub and hold the bandage against the hole. I am not even going to make you get in with me...yet." She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him. He gently pulled her closer. She could feel his heartbeat against her ear. It was the best thing she had heard all day.

After she was finished with her bath, Tony went into the kitchen to warm up their lunch. They had let it get cold because of the blood clean-up and the Ziva clean-up. They had left the hospital around ten that morning. It was now noon. He heard her door open and she walked slowly down the hallway. Her hair was down and curly, just the way he loved it. She sat down on the couch. The microwave timer went off and Tony took their lunch out. He brought it over to the table in front of the couch. "Finally! I get to eat real food!" She exclaimed.

"The sandwich you had for lunch yesterday was real food." Tony said with his mouth full.

"It was not! Sandwiches do not qualify as real food. It was good, but not filling." Tony dramatically huffed and puffed. He pretended to be angry with her. She knew he was only joking, but she would make him not even be able to joke about it. She sat up tall and kissed his neck. She made her way up his neck, over his jaw, and found his lips. One of her hands was in the back of his head, the other was on his heart. His hand was on her lower back, pushing her closer. His other hand found its way to his own chest and rested on top of hers. When they broke the kiss, Ziva said, "The sandwich was delicious, but it wasn't something I could eat every day." Giving up on the argument, Tony leaned back on the couch and finished his lunch is peace.

**A/N: I will apologize again if this doesn't make sense, but in my defense, I am probably brain dead by now. I will hopefully have the next chapter up tomorrow. I will try to stick to my daily update plan from now on. The only reason that could be stopped is if I have as crazy of a weekend I had. Please tell me what you think and I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, likes, and follows. Apparently, the last chapter did make sense...Surprisingly. Here is where we find out what had been going on with our favorite head-slap master. It probably isn't the best in the world, but it was the only thing I could think of at the moment. If you don't like it, I'm sorry. Anyway... Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS. BLAH BLAH BLAH. WE ALL KNOW THIS. **

He looked at his phone and saw the familiar number of his friend and boss, Leon Vance. He picked up the phone and answered. "Yeah?"

"We've got a situation. I've kept you in the dark about what's been going on. I'm in the emergency room right now. Do you want me to give it to you straight? Or do you want me to give you news a little at a time?"

"Have you ever known me to ask for the easy way, Leon?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then tell me what the hell is going on. Why are you in the emergency room? Tell me that first." Vance took a deep breath. "Gibbs, Parsons broke into Ziva's house this afternoon. McGee was at her neighbor's house fixing a computer when he saw Parsons go in her back door. He was able to hide until Ziva got ho-"

"Stop telling the long version and cut to the chase." Gibbs sounded annoyed now. "Parsons shot Ziva before McGee knocked him out. We're waiting for her to come out of surgery now." The other end of the line was quiet. "Gibbs? You still there?"

"Yeah. What've you been keeping me in the dark about?"

"Agents McGee, Dinozzo, and David turned their badges in the day you left. They were protecting you."

"Why the hell did you let them do that? I won't have any other team besides them."

"I understand that, Gibbs. NCIS has been paying their bills because we aren't allowing them to get another job. I'll offer them their jobs back as soon as possible. They'll return to the same desks, same positions, and they'll be on your team again. I promise." Just then, the doctor came out of the doors. He said something to Tony. Tony shot through the doors. "The doctor just told Dinozzo something. He went through the doors pretty fast. This doesn't look good, Gibbs." Gibbs let out a heavy sigh. "Just keep me updated, please. Call me as soon as soon as you figure out her condition." The line went silent. Vance put his phone back up and went to sit down. He pulled out the picture of Jackie and his kids. He missed her. He was happy that Bodnar was gone.

Gibbs put his phone back on the table. He had been in Iraq for at least three weeks now. His mission was almost complete. He would be heading home soon if the last two weeks of this mission went as planned. His assignment was to kill the head of a terrorist group, Aaron Zarco. He is from America, but moved to Iraq a few years ago. He has become one of the most feared leaders. Most of the members of his group are in America. Aaron is going to be in Iraq next week. He was impersonating the Secretary of Defense. They are supposed to be having a meeting about nuclear weapons being transported across the middle east. The FBI knows what is going on. Fornell is supposed to be the escort. The only problem with their plan, the building they are planning to shoot from is heavily guarded. They have to kill Zarco before he signals the attack on the building in which the meeting will take place.

They plan to get to the top floor of the building next door, shoot him as he is stepping out of the car, Fornell will then explain what has been going on, and the real Secretary if Defense will be in the second car that pulls up. After they execute this part of the plan, they have to get back to the base before the members of Zarco's group discover what has happened. The FBI agents will already be on their way home with the Secretary. Gibbs and his team will leave as soon as possible. They will return to Washington, D.C. and make sure everything worked out. The attacks that have been happening in Iraq due to Zarco should stop. The planned attacks on America should not happen. Everything has to be perfect in order for America to be safe.

The mission was going as planned so far. They were almost on the top floor. No one on Gibbs' team had been killed. They had one more flight of stairs to go. They got to the top floor and walked carefully around. Captain Wayne was the last one up. They made their way around the top floor. When it was clear, Gibbs and the captain set up a sniper rifle. They were backing away from the window when a shot came from the stairs. Wayne dropped to the floor. Gibbs ran towards the stairs and waited for the shooter to come up. When he did, Gibbs shot him in the back of the head. He ran over to the captain. "Do it." He said. Gibbs walked over to the gun and looked down the sight. Fornell opened the door. Gibbs lined up with Fornell's chest. He saw the head come out of the car. He held his breath and released it as the head came right where he was aimed. He took the shot.

Fornell fell to the ground as well. He got up after the shock wore off. He had a vest on. The team retreated down the stairs. Gibbs threw one of Captain Wayne's arms around his own shoulder and loaded up the guns. They were the last ones out. The team of medics that came along took Wayne and loaded him up on the back. They drove off.

Gibbs returned to D.C. a few days later. He found out that Ziva was okay and that his team would be returning. He couldn't return back to work until everything was sorted out. He hadn't been to work in over four months. He actually missed it. The team found out that Parsons was a follower of Zarco. He was trying to get Gibbs arrested because he discovered that a plan to stop the attack on America was being developed. He was going to kill Ziva so that Gibbs would be weak. When that failed, he was arrested. He faced more charges when he was discovered to be a member of a terrorist group. He wouldn't be bothering NCIS anymore. Gibbs would be able to go back to work in a week or two. He would finally be home.

**A/N: So, thats why he was lining up with Fornell? Well, that is my theory any way. I think Parsons is working for a foreign agency. Maybe that will be uncovered in season 11. Well, please tell me what you think and if I need to continue, or go die in a hole somewhere. Thank you all sooooooo much for reading. I hope you enjoyed.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry this is up so late. I had a busy day today. I am thankful for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. Eight chapters is pretty good. Maybe I can get farther, if y'all still want me to write the story. This is just focused on Tony and Ziva. I hope you like it. Please enjoy. **

**DISCLAIMER: Not even gonna say it. **

It started thundering around one o' clock that afternoon. Ziva didn't mind thunder. It was actually kind of soothing to her. Since they couldn't do much because of the storm and because of Ziva's injury, they decided to watch a movie. She had her head on his shoulder and they were holding hands. "Do you think we are going to run out of movies to watch? We have watch quite a lot recently," Ziva looked up at Tony. He had a smile on his face. "There're way too many movies in the world, and in my apartment, to run out of things to watch." They both laughed. He did have a lot of movies in his apartment. "Well, are we going to run out of interesting things to watch?" She asked.

"Doubt it." They continued watching the old Karate Kid. She wrapped her other arm around him and laid her head on his chest. Suddenly, Ziva felt him tense up. "What?" She asked him.

"We are going back to work for Gibbs, and we are breaking his rule. I didn't think I would go back to work there. That's why I said I didn't care about his rules. He is going to kill us." The reality of what he said made both of them stop watching the movie. Ziva felt tears in her eyes. _'Why am I about to start crying?' _She asked herself. Then, she realized that it was the fact that Tony was worried that they would have to stop seeing each other, just as they had the summer Gibbs retired. "He will understand, Tony. Besides, we aren't co-workers. We are partners. So there is a way out of being head slapped. Well, you will still be head slapped because he had gone four months without doing it, but it will be out of love and not anger." Tony could sense the doubt in her voice, but decided to ignore it. "I guess that's true. Do you think he will make us go to different teams?"

"No, he does not like new members. It took him forever to open up to me. I doubt he will ever want to have to deal with a new member ever again. So, we are in pretty good shape." Tony nodded and relaxed again.

Tony went to pick up dinner around six. They were going to eat pizza. Since he would only be gone for about 15 minutes, he decided to leave Ziva at home. "Can you please behave for fifteen minutes? It won't take long," Tony said as he was walking out the door. She nodded her head sat down on the couch. She grabbed the book she was reading and opened it. After about five minutes, she got bored. There was nothing to watch on TV at the moment, so she had nothing to do. She heard a noise in the backyard and walked to investigate.

Tony got back in the time that he said he would. He walked in and saw that Ziva wasn't on the couch anymore. He walked to her room. She wasn't in there. She wasn't in the guest room, the bathroom, or anywhere else. Tony got out his phone and dialed her number. He heard it buzzing on the counter. _'She doesn't have her phone! Where is she?'_ Tears started to build behind his eyes. He ran out into the rain and looked around the front yard. He went to the back yard. He put his hands on top of his head and looked up at the sky. He didn't have a clue where she was. He went back in the house and noticed that her shoes weren't there. He went to the closet in her hallway. The umbrella she keeps was gone. She went somewhere. He walked back out to the back yard and looked saw her walking back from her neighbor's house. He ran over to her. "Ziva? I told you to behave for fifteen minutes. Can you not even do that?"

"I was bored. Then I heard a noise in the backyard. Ms. Smith's cat had fallen into the empty pot I keep back here. If I didn't help her, she would have drowned. I took her back to Ms. Smith. I stayed to make sure the cat was okay. Now I am walking back home. Don't worry, I didn't get rained on." Tony just stood there, in the rain, staring at her. Then, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her head. "I was scared. I didn't know where you were. I thought Parsons came back for you or something." Ziva heard his voice getting shaky.

"I am sorry, Tony." She put her arms around him. They stood like that for a few more minutes. Tony's heart was racing. When it finally slowed down, Ziva said, "Let's go back in. You need to put on some dry clothes."

He decided to put a pair of sweat pants and a plain white, kind of see through, t-shirt. He came and sat down on the couch beside her. They found a baseball game and decided to watch it. Ziva wasn't a big baseball fan. She sat quietly and watched it with him though. Somewhere in the 4th inning, Tony's hand found hers. She sat closer to him and he put his arm around her.

Ziva got up to take her medicine. When she came back, Tony was stretched out on the couch, blocking any place for her to sit down on. She was just going to have to come up with a way to either sit down, or get him to move. She walked to the front of the couch, considering her options. She put one knee on one side of him, and the other on the opposite side. He looked up at her. "Nice move. I probably wasn't going to get up anyway."

"You would if I brought out a paper clip." He chuckled at the comment his ninja made. "Well, you can't sit on your knees forever. Might as well lie down." Ziva leaned forward, careful to slip her hands under his shirt at just the right place. She felt his body tense up and then relax again. He ran his hands up and down her back. When she tried to move so that she could kiss him, a sharp pain went through her chest. She winced. "You okay?" Tony asked, sounding worried. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, I will just have to learn what hurts and what doesn't until it goes away completely." She was more careful when she moved this time. She got into a position that wouldn't hurt and where she could still kiss him. Their lips met. His hands continued to rub her back. Her hands came out from under his shirt. She out her hands on both sides of him and pushed up a little so that he could kiss her neck. He was careful not to move too much. He would normally have her undressed by now, but he wasn't even hard. She was a little surprised, but also very happy. Tony didn't even have sex on his mind. He just wanted to hold Ziva for the rest of his life.

She eventually fell asleep in his arms. He carefully put her to the side as he got up. When he got off the couch, he slipped one arm behind her knees, and the other behind her neck. He gently carried her to the bed. He pulled the cover back. He made sure to get the two pillows she always slept on. Then, he pulled the blanket over her, moved a strand of hair away from her face, and kissed her forehead. He climbed into the other side. He just laid there looking at her._ 'She is so beautiful.' _Suddenly, she said, "Go to sleep, Tony. I promise that the monster that hides under the bed will leave us alone." Tony was surprised. "How did you know that I was looking at you?"She moved close to him and pressed her back against his chest. He was careful to avoid the wound, and put his arm around her. She answered back, "I could feel your eyes. I bet they are emerald color right now too. That is what color they turn when you are thinking about something." He chuckled. She knew him so well. He didn't know what shade of green his eyes were, but he was thinking about how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her. They fell asleep, listening to the rain hit the window and the thunder roll around in the sky.

**A/N: Well, wasn't that just adorable?! I thought so. She had to save a drowning cat. Yeah, I know, kind of stupid, but it was the best thing I could think of. And how sweet, he was worried that Parsons had come back for her. Anyway... Thank you for reading. Please tell me what you think. I really appreciate reviews and such. I hope you enjoyed. The next chapter should be up tomorrow, but no absolute promise. It will all depend on my unpredictable schedule. Sorry, I'm rambling. Well, thanks again!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry this is up so late, I had a little bit of writers' block. So if this is a stupid chapter, I'm sorry. I still appreciate all the favorites and follows. I will keep writing as long as you keep reading and as long as you like what you're reading. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

Ziva ran through the hallways. She had just untied herself from the chair. Her wrists and ankles burned. She had to get out of there. She turned the next corner and shot through a pair of double doors. She saw Tony strapped to a table. A group of people in masks were leaning over him. They hadn't noticed her yet, so she walked up next to them. They were lowering a knife towards his stomach. She watched in horror as they cut him open. He screamed in pain. She tried to grab his hand, but one of the people finally noticed her and turned around. They threw medical tools at her. Someone came up behind her. It was Bodnar. _'No. He's supposed to be dead!' _He grabbed her and drug her back to a room. He tied her back to a chair. He brought another chair and sat a mangled looking person down. When the unknown person looked up at her, she thought she was about to be sick. It was Gibbs. He had cuts and bruises all over his face. His eye was swollen shut, and judging by the way his arm was hanging, his shoulder had been dislocated. "I will make this simple. If you do not talk, he will die a quick and painless death. He has already been put through hell, so I will do him a favor and shoot him in the back of the head if I do not think your answers are good enough," Bodnar said. Gibbs looked her in the eye and shook his head. "Don't tell him anything, Ziva."

"Shut up!" a the end of the gun connected with Gibbs' face. Ziva screamed. "I don't know what you want to hear," Ziva said, tears started to build. Bodnar gave her an evil look. "Shame. He was such a good man." He pulled out a gun and shot Gibbs in the head. Ziva stared in horror. "Maybe this will make you talk." The group of masked people brought in Tony. His stomach was stitched up, but it was still bleeding. "Every time you refuse to talk, I will push this button and your sweetheart will have what feels like fire running through his body." Tony looked at her with pleading eyes. Tears were falling down her face now. "Why did you resign? What did Gibbs have to hide?" She looked over where Bodnar was standing, but he wasn't there. Parsons stood in his place. "We-," Tony cut her off. "We aren't going to tell you a damn thing!" Parsons pushed the button. Tony yelled in pain. He lowered his head and said, "I don't know why you are so interested in wanting to know this. If you really don't know why, just go and look at all of our records. Gibbs is, or was. the father we never had. That is why we resigned. As for what he was hiding, you will never know."

"And why is that?"

"Because this is just a nightmare. She will wake up right about now."

"Ziva. Wake up. It was just a nightmare." She was drenched in cold sweat. She looked into his eyes. All she heard was his screams. She was shaking all over. "Hey, calm down. I promise that I won't let whatever happened in that dream happen in real life." He was kneeling beside her. She tried to hold in tears, but it didn't work. He pulled her closer. Tony couldn't stand to see her like this. He hated when she had nightmares. They happened in Paris, but she never screamed. They happened on a few stake-outs, and she would just scream once or twice. Then, after her father died, they got worse. The night she stayed at his place, he was able to wake her before she screamed. She stayed a night or two after that. He would wake up in the middle of the night to her screaming. The nightmares were always the same. She was back in that awful place. They were either doing tests on her, or torturing the ones she loved. There was one night when she just looked at him and didn't tell him what it was about. That led him to believe that they did much worse then beat her.

When she finally calmed down, she noticed that she was soaked and cold. "Can I please go put some dry clothes on?" She managed to ask.

"Yes. You can take another t-shirt of mine if you want." She nodded and pulled one of his shirts from his bag. She went into the bathroom and changed. She pulled her hair up as well. Surprisingly, her bullet wound didn't hurt as much as it had earlier. She was happy about that. She came out of the bathroom and went to lay down again. Tony was in just his sweatpants now. "Did your shirt run away?" She asked.

"No, its just hot in here." She nodded and went to lay down. She laid down as close to Tony as she could. He kissed the top of her head. His heartbeat had become one of the safest sounds to her. She fell back asleep listening to it. Tony held her, stroking her back. He felt the scars she had gotten in Somalia through the shirt. He didn't want to think about what she had been through. It made him want to kill Saleem again and again. He eventually fell asleep, but he was lost in his thoughts.

They woke up in the morning the same way they had gone to sleep. Tony's hands had slipped under Ziva's shirt somewhere in the night, but she didn't mind. He knew about her scars. He knew why they were there, so he wasn't worried about what they were from. "Good morning." She said with a smile. He smiled back and kissed her. They just stayed there for about half an hour. They finally got up and dressed. They went out for doughnuts. "We should go to the store so that we don't have to go out to get every meal," Ziva said.

"Sounds good to me." They got back to her house an hour later. "Did I see you pick up things to bake a cake, Ziva?" Tony asked her with a smirk. She gave him a mysterious glance and went back to putting all of the groceries away. "Here, let me do this. You go sit on the couch."

"I do not want to go sit on the couch," she complained. She started to pout. He walked up to her and grabbed her waist. He pulled her into a kiss. She kissed back. He lifted her off of her feet. She wrapped her legs around him. He carried her to the couch and lowered her. He broke their kiss and stood up in front of her. Then, he walked back to the kitchen. "That was not fair!" She exclaimed.

He chuckled. "That's payback for the shampoo the other day." She just huffed and puffed like he had the night before. "You are going to have to help me bake that cake now."

"I'm perfectly fine with that." She laughed. It would be interesting to see Tony try to bake a cake. She was looking forward to it.

**A/N: So, Tony and Ziva are going to bake a cake together. That should be fun, right? How about that nightmare? Why would somebody go through so much trouble to know something as simple as that? See, even I don't get why. Wow. Talk about stupid. Thank you for reading. Please tell me what you think. I will hopefully have the next chapter up tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks again for reading. We are at ten chapters! Yayy! This chapter is about the doctor appointment. It had some TIVA in it. There is also a very, very life changing moment for Tony. I hope you enjoy!**

Friday came and Ziva couldn't wait to be able to resume all normal activities. She woke up in Tony's arms. He was still snoring. She rolled over to face him. He looked a lot younger when he slept. He didn't have the stressed look on his face. She had somehow ended up without her sweatpants on. He was in just his boxers. She didn't mind though. She stayed in his arms for a few more minutes. Then, she gently got out of his hold and went to take a shower. She found a way to keep the water off of her injury. She taped the bandage.

Tony woke up and heard the shower running. He walked into the bathroom. Ziva was humming a song. It sounded like the one they had danced to in Berlin. He smiled. "I know you are out there, Tony. Did you recognize the song?"

"Was it the one we danced to in Berlin?"

"Yes, it was." He smiled. He went back into the kitchen to make toast. He wasn't very hungry, so he only made two pieces. He went back to the room. Ziva came out of the bathroom with just her towel wrapped around her body. He saw the bandage just above the towel. She turned around to get her clothes. She had a scar just above her shoulder blade. He knew what it was from, but he had never seen it before. She had scars all over her back, some on her legs, and a few on her arms. As if she could feel him looking at her, she stopped what she was doing and turned around. She had a look of fear in her eyes. "You're disgusted, aren't you?" She asked him. The question took him by surprise. "What? No! I was just looking at them. They show just how strong you are. Any other girl would try everything possible to remove them."

"I have, Tony. Nothing worked."

"You don't need to. I love them. They make you special. They tell a story about how you survived hell. They remind me that I can't lose you." By now, he was standing in front of her, barely a few inches away. She looked up into his eyes. They were soft and caring. She smiled at him. He wrapped his arms around her. She did the same. They pulled apart and kissed. She pushed him towards the bed. He sat down. She was messing with the elastic in his boxers. His hands traveled to the towel. His fingers brushed the bandage, and she was snapped back to life. She couldn't do this now. She was going to have to wait until the doctor was sure she wouldn't injure herself further. She pulled back. Tony looked into her eyes and grabbed her hand. He knew why she had pulled back. He understood.

They went to the hospital for Ziva's check-up. He gave her a quick kiss before she went in. He sat in the waiting room. A little girl came and sat on the bench beside him. He scooted away. She scooted closer. He did the same thing, but she still came closer. Eventually, he scooted right off of the bench. The little girl laughed. "You're funny," she said. Tony got up and sat back on the bench. The little girl stared at him. She had brown hair that was in two ponytails. Her eyes were what looked like a light gold. She had light skin and was missing a few of her teeth. She was wearing a pink and blue dress with white tennis shoes. "Why are you here, Mister? Are you sick like me?"

"No. My friend has to get a boo-boo checked by the doctor. An evil man gave it to her." Her mouth formed the shape of and O. "My name's Emma. I'm six years old. What's your name?"

"Tony Dinozzo."

"Tony? That's a cool name. I had a brother named Teddy. He went to Heaven, though. Mommy says its nice there. She said he would be having more fun than any of us here. I asked her if he would ever come to visit, but she said he wouldn't. I guess he is just having too much fun." Tony's heart broke into a million pieces. This little girl was about to change his life forever. "You said an evil man hurt your friend? An evil man made my brother go away. And my daddy. He hurt me too. He tied me to a table and gave me a shot. I got really bad sick. I was throwing up and dehydrated. It made me really sick and I still am. I don't know what it is, but sometimes I start throwing up and I can't stop. Its mostly blood that I throw up. I have to come here to get pictures of my stomach. I don't like the tube that they put me in, but I always have my doll with me. Her name is Mary." Emma got up and ran over to a lady on the other side of the waiting room. She handed Emma a doll that had on almost the same outfit as Emma. The doll had blonde hair that was braided.

She came back over to Tony and sat down again. "My brother gave her to me when we were in the room with the evil man. I forgot how I got out of there, but my brother and daddy didn't. I was only four." She handed the doll to Tony. "You can hold her if you want. She likes to meet new people." Tony took the doll and held it. He saw that the doll had a tear in the arm. "What happened to her arm?" he asked. Emma looked at the arm and said, "I was going to school, and she got hung up on a fence. I tried to put a band-aid over it because that is what makes my boo-boos go away. It didn't though. I had to get stitches in my arm the other day. A girl at my daycare pushed me out of a swing. It didn't hurt much. They gave me pink stitches!" She showed him her arm. She had pink stitches in what looked like the exact same place Mary had her cut. Tony got an idea. "Do you mind if I take Mary to meet the nurse?"

"She's already met her. But you can take her to visit." Tony got up and walked over to the nurses station. "Could you do me a big favor?" He asked. The nurse looked at him and then the doll. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Can you stitch Mary's arm up with pink stitches. It would match Emma's. She would love that." The nurse smiled and nodded. She took the doll and went to a room down the hall.

The doctor gave Ziva the clear to resume all activities. He had to replace the stitches with waterproof ones. He had left the wound open at a spot so that it could bleed out anything it needed to. He stitched it up tight this time. "I can do anything I was able to do before this happened?" She asked the doctor.

"Yes. It will be like it never even happened." She nodded and went out to the waiting room. Tony was standing at the nurses station. A little girl walked pass with her mom. She went into the room Ziva had just come out of. She walked up behind Tony and hugged him. She stood on her tip toes and whispered in his ear, "We can continue what we started this morning." He put his hands on her arms and turned around. He was leaning down to kiss her when he saw that Emma wasn't in the lobby anymore. Ziva looked up at him. His eyes were wide. He turned around and a nurse walked up to him and handed him a doll. "Where did Emma go?" He asked the nurse. She just looked at him. "The little girl that Mary belongs to. Where does she go when she comes for check-ups?"

"She goes through that door, into the first door on the left, down the hall, and into the room that says 'Scanning Room'." Tony bolted through the doors, Ziva right behind him. "Tony! What's going on?" He kept running. He followed the directions the nurse had given him. He got to the door that said 'Scanning Room'. They heard a little girl crying and screaming. Tony opened the door and ran into the room. He knelt beside a little girl who was about to get scanned. She stopped crying and smiled when Tony pointed to the doll's arm. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. When she let go, Tony fixed the doll's hair and handed it to the little girl. She thanked him again and laid back down. They exited the room, and the girl's mom met them. "Thank you. She can't do this without Mary. I'm sure she appreciates the stitches too."

"You're welcome. She is a strong girl. She is going to grow up to be a spectacular woman. I'm Tony, by the way. This is my girlfriend Ziva." Ziva smiled at the title he had given her. "I'm Carroll. Its nice to meet you. The thing is, Tony, the doctors are giving Emma a three in ten chance to make it past ten years old. They don't know why the medications aren't working. It isn't a normal illness. They have seen it before, but hers won't go away. They suspect she will die by eight years old." Carroll was crying now. Tony had tears in his eyes as well. Ziva was not wanting to believe what she was hearing. She didn't even know Emma, but it wasn't something any child should have to go through. "She's a determined and strong little girl. I'm sure she won't give up the fight easily," Tony said. Carroll nodded her head and said, "She gets that from her father. He and my son were killed by a man that hated my husband. He was going to kill Emma, but the police were able to save her. She got sick sometime there."

"She told me when we were sitting in the waiting room." Just then, Emma and the doctor walked out. "She is doing fantastic, Carroll. The treatment seems to be starting to work now." Emma came over and hugged Tony's legs. She was only as tall as his stomach. She was small for a six year old. "Emma, this is my friend, Ziva. Ziva, this is Emma." Emma came over and hugged Ziva. "You're very pretty, Ziva. I like your hair. It is kind of like Mary's!" Ziva smiled. Her hair was braided. "You are very pretty to, Emma." Emma smiled up at her. "Come on, Emma. Time to go to daycare." Emma took her mom's hand. They were halfway down the hallway when Emma turned back around. She ran up to Tony and gave him one more hug. Then, she thanked him again for what he had done with Mary. She looked up at him and said, "I know Ziva is your girlfriend. She's a good choice too. If you're smart, you won't take any other girl besides her." Then, she skipped down the hallway back to her mom. Tony smiled at what she had said. Then, he and Ziva faced each other. "I'll tell you the story when we get home, sweet cheeks." She smiled and kissed him.

**A/N: Tony didn't even like kids! How about that? A little girl changed his life forever. She had a point about him being smart, too! Please tell me what you thought. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be all TIVA, I promise. It should be up tomorrow. Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys! Y'all apparently liked the last chapter. I'm sure Emma will come up later in the story. Anyway, I am thankful for your follows, reviews, and favorites. I will keep writing as long as you keep reading! Please enjoy!**

Ziva smiled when she thought about what Tony had done for Emma. "You really asked for the doll to have matching stitches?"

"Yeah. When Emma gets hers out, I'm hoping maybe the nurse will sew up Mary's arm. Then the two can have matching scars. Emma will love that too." Tony hoped he would meet Emma again. She was a fun person to be around. She had a good sense of humor. Tony put his hand on Ziva's leg. Her leg twitched under his hand. "Ticklish?"

"I am actually." She slid her hand under his and laced her fingers with his. "I'll have to remember that," Tony said with a mischievous smirk.

When they walked through her front door, Tony went back to the bathroom. Ziva sat down on the couch. She didn't turn on the TV because she wanted to bake that cake now. She got up and went to the kitchen. She heard Tony's heavy footsteps from down the hall. He ran into the living room and jumped over the back of the couch. He landed on his back and reached for the remote. Ziva just shook her head and continued getting the things she needed for the cake. "Whatcha doin', Ziva?" He asked.

"I figured I could bake that cake now. You have to help me, remember?" He looked up at her. She was smiling. She walked over to the back of the couch and leaned over to kiss him. When they broke the kiss, Tony let out a heavy sigh and turned the TV off. He got up and walked over to the kitchen. They followed all of the directions. When it came time to mix, something went terribly wrong. Ziva was mixing and the spoon flew out of her hand and hit Tony in the back of the head. She laughed. He had cake mix all in his hair now. Tony walked over to her and took the bowl from her. He put his hand in it and grabbed a handful of mix. He spread it on Ziva's face. She giggled. Then, an all out cake war was started. By the time it was over, they had enough ingredients to remake a cake, but they had a giant mess to clean up.

They cleaned up the kitchen while the cake was in the oven. It took a lot of work to get it clean again. When the cake was done, they opened the oven and laughed at the sight. It was leaning to one side. Ziva took it out of the oven and put it on the counter. "I guess we should probably get cleaned up, too." They headed back to the bathroom. Tony got the shower started while Ziva made sure that they both had towels. Ziva got in first. Then, Tony followed shortly after.

After their showers, Tony suggested they take an afternoon stroll in the park. Ziva liked this idea. She left her hair down. They got to the park and walked a pond. There were ducks swimming. She looked at the mother and her ducklings. "She has all her chicks in a row."

"Ducklings, Ziva. All her ducklings. Its a figure of speech and a literal thing. I think I'm going to get you a book of idioms for Christmas." Ziva glared at him. "On second thought, I like hearing the Ziva David versions." Her face softened and they continued walking. Tony's phone started ringing. It was McGee. "Hello?"

"Hey, Tony. I was wondering if you and Ziva would like to join me and Abby for dinner tonight." Tony turned to Ziva. "McGee wants us to join him and Abby for dinner tonight. Is that okay with you?" She nodded. "Sounds good. What time?"

"How's seven?"

"Should be fine." Tony hung up and put his phone back in his pocket. "You never told me the story about Emma," Ziva said.

"Oh. I was sitting in the waiting room and she came and sat by me..." and he went off into the story. By the end, Ziva was smiling. She couldn't believe that Emma had been through so much and still managed to be the bright girl she was. She was surprised that the doctors didn't know what she was sick with. They had seen cases like it before, but Emma's wouldn't go away, which is what made it different. "She is a funny little girl," Ziva said. Tony nodded. They continued their walk.

When they got back to her place, it was five o' clock. Tony put his keys on her table. Ziva came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He turned around and kissed her. Her hands went to the top of his shirt and started undoing the buttons. She untucked his shirt and slid it off of his arms. He pulled her shirt off of her. They backed up all the way to the bedroom. Ziva was trying to get his belt off. When she finally did, she unbuttoned his pants and pushed them off. He laid her down on the bed, and kissed her neck. He made his way down her chest and kissed her stomach. He reached her jeans, and slowly unbuttoned them. He kept eye contact with her the whole time. When her jeans were off, he moved back up and kissed her. Her hands went to his back. She pulled him closer. Tony rolled them so that she was on top. His hands traced the scars on her back, sending shivers down her spine. He found the clasp to her bra, but she stopped him. "We... have... to go... to dinner," she said, breathing heavily. "I don't think we should take any other clothes off." Tony nodded and moved his hands to her lower back. Her skin was so warm. He would have plenty of other times to remove her remaining clothes. He would just have to wait tonight.

Ziva walked out of her room wearing a blue dress. It was just above her knees, and it was strapless. She wore a cardigan over it to hide the scars on her upper back. Her Star of David necklace sparkled in the light. Her hair was up. Tony looked at her and smiled. He was so lucky to have such a beautiful woman like her. Tony had on grey pants and a white shirt. He had a blue tie on, slightly darker than Ziva's dress, and a grey jacket. They walked out the door and got into the car.

Tony and Ziva walked into the restaurant hand in hand. Abby smiled when she saw them. She ran up to them and gave them both bone-crushing hugs. "Now that you've broken every bone in my body, I think we can go sit down now," Tony said, laughing. She nodded and they made their way to a booth.

"Really?! He did that for her?" Abby asked when Ziva told the story about Emma. "He did," Ziva answered, reaching for his hand under the table. They laced their fingers together. "That was so sweet, Tony!" She squealed. McGee smiled. "What was that look for McGee?" Ziva asked.

"I just smiled. I can't imagine Tony actually being sweet."

"Watch it McCupcake. Just because I'm not all soft and squishy like you doesn't mean I can't have my moments."

"I'm not soft and squishy!" He argued back. The other three laughed. "Okay, I guess it does take guts to be a federal agent, Timmy," Abby said. She patted his cheek. "Thank you, Abby." The dinner pretty much went like that the rest of the time. They told jokes and hated on each other (in their strange family way). They finally went their separate ways around ten o' clock. Tony drove past the road they had to turn on. "Tony, the turn was back there," Ziva said.

"I know, but I though we could take a little field trip." Ziva was anxious to know where they were going. He pulled into an empty lot. They were parked in front of a pond. Tony took his jacket and tie off. He was in the process of taking his belt off when Ziva asked, "What are we doing here?"

"Going swimming. You love swimming and you haven't been with me yet. I figured it would be something fun," He looked into her eyes. She smiled. "We don't have swimsuits."

"Who needs swimsuits when nobody's around?" He laughed. She smiled at him. He finished getting undressed and got out of the car. He left the lights on so that they could see. He got into the water. "You coming or not?" He yelled. Ziva took her dress off and striped her under garments. She tiptoed to the water. When she got in, she didn't see Tony. "Tony? Where are you?" Suddenly, she felt something grab her leg. It pulled her under. When she opened her eyes, she saw the outline of a man. The lights of his car only showed his silhouette. The man swam closer and pressed his lips on hers. When they came up for air, she splashed him with water. "What was that for?" He asked.

"Scaring the hell out of me." He splashed her back. She screamed and swam closer to him. He put one arm behind her knees and the other around her shoulders. He spun her around. She looked into his eyes. They were that bright green color she loved. He put her back down. She put her arms around his neck. She came closer, leaning in for a kiss. Right when he closed his eyes and their lips were almost touching, she pushed him under the water. She laughed when he came back up. He only brought his eyes above the surface. He came closer. She backed out of the water. He suddenly ran at her. She turned around to run back to the car, but he grabbed her by her middle and put her over his shoulder. He carried her back to the water and, this time, held her hands as he kissed her. He loosened his grip on her hands and put his arms around her waist. She put hers around his neck. They stayed in the water until they started to get cold. They got back in his car, putting their clothes back on. Tony grabbed Ziva's hand as they drove towards her house. That was the most fun she had had in a while.

**A/N: Adorable, right? I had the lake scene planned for earlier, but that apparently didn't happen. Please tell me what you think. Thanks for reading! The next chapter should be up tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry that I didn't have this up yesterday. My laptop fried and I had to take it to get looked at and checked out and stuff. Anyways, to make it up to you, I will post two chapters either tonight or tomorrow. This is just going to be about the two getting back to work. Gibbs will be returning in this chapter. TIVA moments are, of course, going to happen. The team will find out about Parsons. Maybe some surprises as well. Thanks to the moon and back for the reviews, follows and favorites. I appreciate them! Sorry... rambling. Please enjoy!**

Ziva reached over and turned her alarm off. It was five a.m. She thought about getting up and running like she normally does, but she didn't exactly feel like it. So, she got up and fixed herself breakfast. She thought about what she would wear, she looked through closet, and found something good enough. She took a shower, brushed her teeth, and got dressed. She pulled her hair up. When she went back into her room, she remembered the box that had all of the belongings from her desk in it. She never unpacked the box. She put it in her car and came back in. She went to the table where her badge and gun were sitting. It felt good to gear up again. She was about to walk out the door when she remembered, she had to get a knife. Gibbs' rule number nine, 'Never go anywhere without a knife.' She got her knife and then, walked out the door. She smiled as she took the route home.

Tony woke up and looked at his alarm clock. It was already six o' clock. He only had an hour to get into work. He reached over and felt the cold mattress. _'Oh, yeah. I'm not staying with her any more. She was able to resume all normal activities.'_ He sighed and got up to take a shower. He got out of the house by 6:45. That was probably the fastest he had ever gotten ready. He did take a long time to get ready, but that was because he hadn't shaved in a while. So, unless he wanted to go to work looking like a scruffy hobo, he needed to shave. He made sure he had everything he needed. Badge, gun, things to go at my desk. That was it. He took the all too familiar route to work.

Ziva placed her badge and gun on her desk. She tried her best to replace everything to how it had been, but it would never be the same. No matter how hard she tried, something would be at the wrong angle, or not on the right place. She was so focused that she didn't even notice Tony walk in. He just stared at her. "Ziva, I think the pencil is okay where it is." She looked up and saw Tony with his head propped on his arm. He was standing next to her desk, looking over the wall. She rolled her eyes at him. He laughed and walked back over to his desk. He got all of his things out and put everything back to where he wanted it. By the time he was done, Ziva was leaning on the front edge of her desk looking at him. She was smiling. "I think that is the cleanest I have ever seen your desk."

"Yeah. I don't like it. Give it till the end of the day. It won't be clean then." She laughed. McGee walked in with a smile on his face. "Good morning, Ziva. Mornin', Tony." Ziva gave Tony a confused look. She stood up. Tony walked over to the center of the bullpen and stood beside her. "He's in a good mood. I don't like it."

"Don't ruin his day. You have not even been here an hour." She laughed at the scowl on Tony's face. "Why are you so cheerful, McCheerfullness?"

"No reason." He started humming.

"He is humming. He never hums," Ziva said. McGee noticed them staring at him. Tony saw a look in his eye and started laughing. "Haha. Tim had some fun last night!" McGee smiled. "Was it Delilah? Are you two still 'a thing'?" Tony asked.

"As a matter of fact, it was Delilah." Then Tony and McGee went into some type of conversation. Ziva just shook her head and sat down at Tony's desk. She grabbed a sticky note and a pen and started writing. When she was done, she stuck it on his computer screen. She got up and went back to her desk. It was good to be home. She looked over at the empty desk. She wasn't quite home yet. She had one more person who needed to be here in order to call it home.

Tony sat down at his desk and looked at the pink sticky note on his screen. It had Ziva's hand writing on it. He smiled when he read it. He put it in his top drawer. When he opened the drawer, he saw something in the corner. It looked like a picture. He got it from the crack it was in and smiled. It was a picture of Ziva in Paris. He thought he had lost this picture. He grabbed a piece of tape and put it on the edge of his computer screen.

Nothing really happened in the first two weeks. They had to investigate the murder of a Naval Officer who was found in a tree. The team might have been a little rusty, but they still found the culprit in less than that week. It wasn't exactly hard. Their fingerprints were all over the crime scene. Not to mention there ended up being a camera in the park. He tried to deny it. The camera took a while to discover, because it had been place there the day before. Tony thought it was a good case to get back in th hang of things. Ziva went home with him the night of the arrest. They walked in his apartment and she sat down on the couch. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Kind of. What do you have?"

"Nothing. I was just going to order pizza. Is that okay with you?" Tony picked up the phone. Ziva nodded. After the pizza was ordered, Tony came up behind the couch and kissed Ziva's neck. She shivered and turned around so that he could kiss her lips. She sat up on her knees as the kiss became more passionate. Their tongues met in the middle. His hands slid into her back pockets. She had her arms around his neck. When they broke the kiss, Ziva put her forehead against his. She looked into his eyes. They weren't the lime green she thought they would be. They were emerald green. "What are you thinking about?" she asked him.

"How did you know I was thinking?"

"Well, for beginners, you think to loud," she said, laughing. "But because I know you better, I can see it in your eyes. They are emerald when you think."

"Tell me all the colors my eyes can be, Ziva," Tony said as he climbed over the back of the couch and sat beside her. "They are only four shades. They can be lime green, that is when you are happy. They can be forest green, that is when you are not happy. They can be almost shamrock green, that is when you are not happy or unhappy. They are emerald when you are thinking."

"I don't think my eyes change color. They are green. I think you are just imagining it."

"Maybe I am, but your eyes do get darker or lighter based on your mood. Now, tell me what you're thinking about because they haven't changed from emerald yet." He grabbed her hand. She came closer to him. "I was just thinking about how we are going to tell Gibbs about us. He is supposed to be back any day now," he wrapped his arm around her. She thought for a moment and finally answered, "I don't think we should tell him yet. We need to wait until we get back into our regular routine that we had. Telling him might disrupt it."

"True, so we won't tell him yet. That's probably a smart idea." They ended up watching a baseball game. After trying, and failing, to explain why baseball was created, Tony just gave up. He didn't know why, or how. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't be able to explain it to her. They went to bed with Ziva in Tony's arms. Tony was happy that Ziva didn't have any nightmares that night. He had received a call in the middle of the night the previous week. He ended up having to go to Ziva's house and stay with her the rest of the night. She didn't answer him when he asked what it was about. She slept through the night.

Ziva woke up and felt for Tony's warmth, but didn't find it. She heard the shower running, so she smiled and crept into the bathroom. He had just gotten in because the mirror wasn't fogged up yet. She undressed and pulled the door back. She did it without making a sound. She stepped in and closed the door. She hugged him from behind and felt him jump. He relaxed when he realized it was just her. "Please don't ever do that again, ninja. I almost wet myself." She laughed. He turned around and kissed her.

Ziva walked into the bullpen first. She immediately stopped in her tracks, causing Tony to run into her. "What's wrong?" He asked, sounding worried. She took a deep breath through the nose. "Coffee. Oh, my god! Coffee! Tony! I smell coffee!" She had turned to face him and had a huge grin on her face. Tony was a little worried. "Okay, why is that so important?" Her grinned widened and her eyes did too. Suddenly, Tony felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. A hand connected with the back of his head. He laughed and turned around. Gibbs had a smirk on his face. Ziva pushed pass Tony and hugged him. Gibbs hugged back. "In my defense, boss, she is a ninja. She would have better sense of smell."

"That doesn't mean she had to have better common sense. Who else drinks coffee and is here this early in the morning?" Tony nodded and waited for another head slap, but it didn't come. "What have I missed?" Gibbs asked. "We turned our badges in the day you left. We weren't able to find any other job. NCIS paid our bills so because they wouldn't let us have another job. Parsons broke into Ziva's house and McGee stopped him from killing her, but not from shooting her. Vance met with us and gave us our jobs back. We solved a murder case that involved a ruined friendship, a tree, and a very angry squirrel," Tony summed it all up for Gibbs. He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. McGee came in the opposite side of the bullpen. "Gibbs is here. I smell the coffee." Ziva stepped aside and Gibbs smiled. McGee stood there. Then he smiled and walked over to the group. "Its nice to see you, McGee," Gibbs said.

"Nice to see you too, boss." The family was back together. Gibbs was happy to be back with his family. He walked over to his desk and put his coffee down. His phone rang. He answered it. Tony walked over to Ziva and grabbed her hand. She was sitting at her desk. He knelt down so that Gibbs wouldn't see. "He seems to be in a good mood. Even McGee smelled the coffee. I just don't think you are awake yet," Ziva said. "Gear up! Dead marine." Tony gave her hand a light squeeze and smiled as he walked back to his desk. They all stepped into the elevator. Gibbs smiled as Tony and Ziva started bickering about some movie. It was good to be home.

**A/N: The family is back together! Tony and Ziva will have to find a way to tell Gibbs. Maybe it will go smoothly. Please tell me what you think. The next chapter should be up either later tonight, or early tomorrow. More TIVA in the near future. Thank you for continuing to read. I hope you enjoyed!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay, so this is the first chapter of the day. I have to get the other one up some time. I am busy today, but I keep promises I make. I have a scar from one I kept for my best friend. But, this isn't about me, this is about the story. They tell Gibbs in this chapter. He isn't very happy about it, but he allows them to stay a couple. Tony has a little jealousy in this chapter. Anyways, thank you for the reviews and follows. I appreciate them. I hope you enjoy!**

Tony decided to stay at Ziva's house that night. They got home later than expected, but not too late. They ordered pizza. "When do you think we will have to tell Gibbs?" Tony asked her as they sat on her couch.

"I told you not to worry about it until we needed to. Just relax."

"That's a good idea. We won't worry about it until we need to." They agreed on that and waited for the pizza to be delivered. When the knock at the door came, Ziva answered. The man delivering the pizza looked about thirty. He looked at Ziva with lust in his eyes. She felt him watching her as she went to get the money Tony had left on the counter. He was in the bathroom. She handed the money to the man. He grabbed the money, making sure to touch her hand. Tony came out of the bathroom and saw this. He felt jealousy starting to build up. He went behind Ziva and wrapped his arms around. He kissed her neck and she rolled her head back. He gave the delivery man a hateful stare as he shut the door. They ate their pizza and watched the news. Tony stood up to take her plate to the kitchen and said, "I'll answer the door for the pizza man from now on. He was trying to make a move on you." Ziva saw that he was getting jealous. She got up and hugged him from behind. He put his hand on hers and grabbed it. He turned around and was greeted with a kiss. "I think you were jealous, Tony," she whispered in his ear. Her breath tickled his skin. "You would have been too."

"I know, but I'm yours. All yours," she said, barely above a whisper. He noticed his heartbeat picking up. Apparently, Ziva did too. That was her plan. She wanted to make him want her. She walked back to the bathroom and got a mint. Pizza breath would be bad. Tony had apparently had the same idea. He had a piece of gum in his mouth when she walked back in. He was sitting on the couch. He tried to look relaxed, but he had removed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. Tony hated what she could do to him. It was unfair. She came and sat almost on top of him. She put a hand on his upper thigh, rather close to his crotch. He wrapped his arm around her, trying to remember how to breathe. His hand traveled to her hip. She wasn't going to last much longer. She got up and sat on his lap, facing him. She was straddling him. His eyes were wide. She leaned in and kissed him. His hands were slipping under her shirt. She gasped as he slid his hands up. She took his tie off and started taking care of the buttons on his shirt. Her shirt was off now. Shivers were sent down he spine when his lips touched the skin on her chest. His shirt was unbuttoned now. She took care of the undershirt that he had on as well. She was starting to take his belt off when he stood up, kept a firm hold on her, and went towards the bedroom. She wrapped her legs around him. He laid her down on the bed and let her take care of his belt and pants. Her pants were halfway down her legs before she even realized it. Tony kissed her chest, then made his way down her stomach. He came back up and kissed her. She put her hands down his boxers and he groaned. She smiled. His eyes were the lime green she loved. He kissed her harder. He found her bra claps and was about to undo it when his phone rang. "What... the... hell?" he asked when he heard it.

"Better go answer it," Ziva said, sounding slightly annoyed. It was McGee. "What the hell, Probie?"

"Sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"Yes. Its eleven o' clock at night and you interrupted me and the queen during our nightly tea."

"I'm very sorry. Was it cold tea or hot tea? Did you have jam and bread with it?"

"Alright, McSmartass. What's so important?"

"Gibbs told me to call you. We have another dead marine. Its the Private's brother."

"Okay. Where?" Tony got the address and wrote it down. He hung up and put on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and his NCIS jacket. Ziva did the same. She pulled her hair up and gave Tony a look. "What's that look for?"

"Perfect timing, don't you think?" She said sarcastically. He walked up behind her and hugged her. She let him, but eventually said, "Come on. We don't need to be late. We will already be getting questioned since we are arriving together." Before she could walk off, Tony pulled her close and kissed her. He rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I'll make it up to you. I promise." She smiled. They walked out the door and got in the car.

"Did you two ride together?" McGee asked when they arrived at the crime scene. He looked half asleep. "Yes. We did." He nodded and went back to searching the crime scene. Ziva grabbed the camera and started taking pictures. It was a typical crime scene, they would bag-and-tag, take pictures, and get an occasional head slap. They had to go back to work. They stayed through seven, so it was time to be at work anyway. The team was so exhausted, that they all had to get coffee. "Abby's got something, boss," McGee said wearily as he stumbled into the bullpen.

"You look tired, McGee," Gibbs said.

"Its a look I'm going for." Gibbs chuckled as he walked down to Abby's lab. Tony walked over to Ziva's desk. She had her head propped up on her arms. Her eyes were closed. Tony smirked and was reaching to push her arm from under her head. "Anthony Dinozzo, if you do that, I swear to God that we will be planning your funeral by the end of the day." He stopped when he was less than an inch from her arm. She hadn't even opened her eyes. "How did you know what I was about to do?"

"You are not the stealthiest person in the world." He put his hands up in defense. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He went and sat at his own desk. "When was the last time we had to be at work this long?" Ziva asked.

"The last one I remember was when we were work on Harper Dearing, before he tried to blow us all up." Ziva smiled. Even though she had been scared, when they were in the elevator, they admitted their feelings for each other. That was when they both realized they loved each other.

The day came when Ziva pulled Tony aside and said, "We need to tell Gibbs." He nodded.

"Are you going to tell him, or me?"

"I thought we would tell him together," Ziva said. They went back to their desks and waited for a moment when they could pull Gibbs aside. They pulled him into the elevator and he flipped the switch. Gibbs looked at them and then asked, "Well? What do you need to tell me?"

"Um, I don't exactly know how to tell you this, but I guess I can just come out and tell you-,"

"Tell me what, Dinozzo?" He was getting angry. Ziva took a deep breath and said, "Gibbs, Tony and I are a couple now."

"What the hell? Does rule 12 mean anything to you?" Tony lowered his head. He knew Gibbs would get upset. "When it happened, rule 12 didn't apply to us anymore. It won't stop us from working. We aren't exactly coworkers either. We are partners." Gibbs sighed heavily. "Do you work with her?"

"Yes."

"Then you are coworkers."

"Gibbs, please. We love each other. Do you want to know who stayed by my side when Parsons shot me? Tony. He never left. Gibbs, I know your rules are there for a reason. But if you would just let us show you that we can do this-," Gibbs cut her off. "Damn it, Ziva. You don't understand. My rules are there to protect the ones I love. I don't want my team falling apart because something happens between you two. I'll give you one shot. If you can't perform, I will not allow you two to be together. Do you understand?" They nodded. He flipped the switch and the elevator went back up. They stepped out of the elevator. "That went well," Tony said. Ziva raised her eyebrows at him. They went and listened to McGee explain something about a fight the victim had been in the day before he was murdered. Tony looked at Ziva and smiled. She smiled back. Gibbs would warm up. He always did.

**A/N: So, he is going to let them. At least they can stay together... McGee always has perfect timing, doesn't he? Please tell me what you think. I will have the next chapter up later. Who knows, maybe we will see somebody familiar later. :) Than you for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey guys. I was going to have this up earlier, but when I saved it, it said I wasn't logged in, and I lost the whole freakin' story... I have never been so pissed in my life. Anyways, thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites. I am thankful for them! Please enjoy!**

McGee glanced over at Tony's desk. He was opening the top drawer. He pulled out a sticky note. Tony smiled when he read it. He put it back in his drawer and closed it. McGee would have to figure out what it said. "Why the confused look, McGee?" Ziva asked.

"No reason. I'm just going to go down to Abby's lab and see if she needs any help." He walked out of the bullpen and down to Abby's lab. Gibbs came in. "Tony, Ziva, we have reports of our suspect being in the park. Go get him." Tony and Ziva geared up and walked to the elevator. Gibbs watched as Tony let Ziva in first. He wasn't thrilled about them being together, but he was happy Tony was treating her well. She was like his daughter, after all. He shook his head and went down to Ducky to see what he had found out.

"Did he say where in the park he was seen?" Ziva asked as they walked around the park.

"No." They walked towards the playground. Tony felt Ziva tap him on the shoulder and nodded towards the suspect, Mason Grey. Tony walked towards him but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the little girl he was talking to. Ziva did the same. Emma. The suspected murderer was talking and touching Emma. Tony walked up to him. "Lieutenant Grey? NCIS. Special Agent Dinozzo and David. We have a few questions to ask you. We are going to need you to come in for questioning." The man looked up. Emma's face brightened. "Tony!" Tony smiled at her. The man had an evil look in his eye. Tony had an awful feeling. Before he could react, Grey had snatched Emma up and was running down the street with her. Emma dropped Mary on the ground. Tony heard Emma screaming. He grabbed Mary off the ground and started chasing him. They were running right down the middle of the road, dodging cars. Tony dodged a car, but another was right behind it. He fell to the ground, barely avoiding the car. Judging by the crunch his arm made, he broke something. He got up, picked Mary up and continued running. His vision was blurry and he felt like he was about to puke. He had felt this way when he was a kid and broke his leg at school. He shook his head and kept running. Ziva was ahead of him. She turned down an alley. Tony kept going straight. He didn't feel the pain in his arm, yet. He turned the corner just before Ziva tackled Grey. Emma fell to the ground, rolled a few times, then scramble to lean against the wall. Tony saw her holding her elbow. He white leggings that she wore under her purple skirt were torn at the knee and covered in blood. She wasn't crying anymore, but she was obviously scared out of her mind. Her brown hair wasn't nice and neat like it had been. It had tangles and was frizzy. He walked up to her and sat down next to her. She hugged him. "Are you okay, Emma?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think my elbow is bruised and I scraped my knee. One of my stitches might have came out. Did you get Mary?" she looked up at him with her light gold eyes. He smiled and handed her Mary. "Tony, your arm," she said, looking at the black and blue mess. Tony finally felt the pain in his arm. "Its okay."

"What happened?"

"I was running after you and I dodged a car. There was another one right behind it, so I had to dive out of the way. I guess I landed on it wrong. Where is you mother? I didn't see her." Emma lowered her head. She started fixing Mary's hair. "The man said that he had my mommy. I went to slide down the slide. When I came back, she was gone and the man came up to me. He said if I didn't tell him where the place that I got sick in was, he would kill her. I don't know where the place is. I was only four. Tony, he's gonna kill her. You have to stop him. Please." She was crying now. Tony wrapped his arm around her and picked her up . He carried her to the car that Ziva had pulled around. "Ziva, call Gibbs. Tell him to come pick you and Grey up. Let me take this car." She looked at him holding a crying Emma. He had one arm under her bottom and she had her arms around his neck. She was crying into his shoulder. She got Grey out of the car, careful to hit his head on the top. She handcuffed him to the parking sign and went back to Tony. He was buckling Emma into the back seat. She noticed he had only been using on arm this entire time. She looked at the arm that was hanging limply at his side. It was bent at a weird angle. "Tony, what happened?"

"You were running in front of me. I dodged a car, but had to dive out of the way of another one. I heard a crunch, and knew right then. I didn't feel it until we caught Grey."

"Can you drive?" He nodded. She gave him a doubtful look. He kissed her and looked into her light brown eyes. "I promise I'll be careful."

"You better be." She turned and called Gibbs. Tony got into the car and looked back at Emma. She was holding Mary, telling her it would be okay. He turned around and smiled. They arrived at the NCIS building and past security with only a little trouble. Tony took her up to the bullpen and let her sit at his desk. She looked at the picture of Ziva that was taped to his computer. "Were you in Paris?"

"How did you know we were in Paris?"

"The streets. And the Eiffel Tower." Tony was amazed that she knew that. He remembered what he had to do. He picked up his phone and called Ducky. "Can you come up to the bullpen. I have a little girl here who needs medical attention. She has a scraped knee, a bruised elbow, and she thinks her stitches might have come out of her arm."

"I'm on my way, Anthony." Tony hung up the phone. Emma got up and walked over to Ziva's desk. She looked at the miniature flag Ziva kept in her pencil cup. "Ziva's from Israel?" She put the flag back. Tony nodded. It had been a long day. He got in around five that morning because Abby's computer found a DNA match and they had to do more searching. They had gotten home at midnight the night before. So Tony only had three hours of sleep. The running and breaking of an arm made him tired also. His arm hurt like hell. He knew he would have to go to the hospital, but he wouldn't be able to until later. Ducky came into the bullpen with a first-aid kit. Tony picked Emma up and sat her on the desk. He handed her Mary. "Hello, what's your name?" Ducky asked.

"Emma. I like your voice. Are you from Scotland?" Emma asked.

"I am. My name is Doctor Mallard, but you can call me Ducky. Let me see your knee first." She lifted up her leg to show Ducky the scrape. He pulled her legging up over her knee. "Oh, my. This is quite a scrape." He cleaned it with a wipe and put a band-aid over it. He pulled her legging back over her knee. "Elbow next." She showed him her elbow. It had a scratch on it, but it was mostly bruised. Ducky put an ice pack on it. "Now, what is this I hear about stitches?" She showed him her arm. One of her stitches had come undone. Ducky told her it might hurt a little but when he did this, but he gently pulled the stitches and tied them back. He wrapped her arm in gauze so nothing else would damage them. "Is that everything, Emma?" Ducky asked.

"I think so. Tony needs you to look at his arm," Emma said. Ducky turned to Tony. "I'm fine, Ducky." Ducky's eyes traveled to his arm. "Good grief! Anthony, you most certainly are not alright! You need to go to the hospital."

"Can't you give me a splint or something?"

"I don't know if I have one. I will call the paramedics and tell them to come do something about it," Ducky's tone stated that he had made up his mind and he walked out of the bullpen. Tony walked over to Ziva's desk. She kept a brush in her drawer. She had hair holders on the handle of the brush. He searched through her drawers and found a sewing kit. He didn't know why she kept that in there, but he was happy she did. "Emma, let me see you knee." She pick up her leg and showed him the hole in her legging. He nodded and got the needle and thread. His mother had taught him how to sew when he was younger, but he didn't know if he would remember or not. He threaded the needle and looked at the hole. He started at the end and made his way to the other end. When he was done, the legging didn't have a hole in it. She smiled at his work. "Thank you! These are my favorites!" He smiled and put the sewing kit up.

Ziva waited for Gibbs to come. When he did, he looked annoyed. "There had better be a damn good reason Dinozzo took the other car."

"There is. I promise," she answered, making sure, again, to hit Grey's head on the car. Gibbs smirked. She got in the front seat. "He had to take Emma to get medical help. She scraped her knee and her elbow."

"Emma?"

"You'll meet her when we get there." They sat in silence the rest of the ride. Gibbs got Gray out of the car. Ziva walked inside. Her and Gibbs, and Grey rode the elevator up. "Tony broke his arm," Ziva said.

"What? And he drove himself here?" She nodded. Gibbs made a note to head slap Tony. When they stepped out of the elevator, Gibbs told security to escort Grey to the interrogation room. Ziva was standing by the bullpen, looking at Tony's desk. Gibbs looked at what she was staring at and smiled. Tony had Emma in his lap and he was brushing her hair. "Do you want it in pigtails? Or a ponytail? Or braided pigtails? Or a braided ponytail?" Emma thought for a minute. "Braided pigtails, please." Tony nodded and parted her hair. Ziva smiled as he finished the first pigtail. When he finished the second one, she turned around to thank him. Ziva was amazed that Tony was able to do that with one hand. Emma saw her and yelled, "Ziva! Look at my hair! Tony did it. Even with one hand!" Emma ran over and hugged Ziva. She looked up at Gibbs. "Hi! My name is Emma." She smiled up at Gibbs. He knelt down. "Hi, Emma. I'm Gibbs. I noticed Tony did your hair. Can you do me a favor?" She nodded. Gibbs whispered something in Emma's ear. She giggled and went behind Tony. Her little hand connected with the back of his head. "Gibbs told me to do that. He said it was for driving back with a broken arm."

"I guess I did kind of deserve it." Ziva walked over to him. She took his good hand. "I didn't think you knew how to do hair. You could have done mine all these years."

"I didn't even know that I knew how. Much less with one hand." She smiled. "The paramedics should be here any minute. Ducky called them. He said they are going to fix it long enough until I can get into a hospital." He gave her hand a light squeeze. McGee walked into the bullpen. He stopped and looked at Emma. "Ziva, Grey has Carroll. He said if Emma didn't tell him where she was held two years ago, he would kill her." She looked at him with terror. Emma came and grabbed Mary off of his desk. He took her over to Gibbs. Gibbs smiled and held Mary. Emma beamed. Then, she saw McGee. She ran over to him. "Hello! I'm Emma." McGee just looked at her. He finally caught Tony's eye and introduced himself. Ziva walked over to Gibbs and explained why Emma was here. He looked up at her with wide eyes. Tony walked over to him. "Gibbs, Emma was held captive when she was four. They did tests on her, she has a disease now. She isn't expected to live past ten. Her dad and brother were killed while they were there. Now, her mother is missing. Grey knows where she is. We have to find her." Tony's voice was getting shaky. Gibbs nodded. "We'll find her." Emma sat down at Tony's desk. She had met pretty much the whole team. She still had to meet Palmer, Vance, and Abby. She would get to. Tony smiled. He replaced Ziva's brush and went to talk to Emma. He wouldn't rest until he knew she was safe. He promised himself that.

**A/N: I want to send a shout out to hslacer for the idea of Emma meeting the team. So, Tony has a broken arm and can braid hair. Yes, it is possible to braid with one hand. I have to do it all the time. It doesn't look the best, but it is possible. Emma will meet the rest of the team in the next chapter (which should be up tomorrow). Tony's arm will also be tended to in the next chapter. It will be a painful thing, but if I survived it when I was younger, I think he will survive. At least until he has to get it really checked out. Then it might get a little more painful. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading**!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey Guys! So I woke up kinda early because my little sister had a nightmare. So, I got her back to sleep and decided to start working on this chapter. When Tony gets his arm partially fixed, I'm just gonna repeat what they said and did to mine when I couldn't get to a hospital because I was in the middle of nowhere. It may not make sense, but this is seriously what they did to my arm. It hurt like crap. If it doesn't make sense, then I can also blame it on the fact that it was like 3 a.m. Sorry, rambling. Please enjoy!**

Tony held his breath as the paramedics came into the bullpen. "Anthony Dinozzo? We received a call that you had a broken arm? Why can't you get to the hospital?" Tony didn't like this man's attitude. "I have to stay at work. We are in the middle of a case. Going to the hospital would be like abandoning the case." The man narrowed his eyes at him. Tony raised his eyebrows. "Okay," the woman who came with him said, "Mr. Dinozzo, if you would, please remove your jacket." She was a lot nicer. Tony did as he was told. Ziva was disgusted at the sight under his jacket. His arm was black and blue. It was dangling from mid forearm down. Ziva was behind him, her hand on his shoulder. The woman got out a portable x-ray machine. "Both bones are broken. Your wrist is dislocated. Luckily, your wrist isn't where it can't be fixed here. The breaks your arm has indicates you might need surgery. We will splint it up until then though. Take these pain killers, they probably won't have an effect right yet, but we do need to get your wrist straightened out before it starts trying to reconnect." Tony had taken pain medication, but he had a feeling that they weren't going to work when they fixed his wrist. He turned his head away. Gibbs had taken Emma up to the break room to get a snack. It was probably best if she wasn't in here when this happened. McGee had left when he saw Tony's arm.

He felt a hand close around his. He looked down and saw the man getting ready to snap his wrist back. The woman counted, "One... Two... Three!" There was a loud pop and Tony screamed through clenched teeth. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He had tears in his eyes when he opened them again. Ziva didn't like him being in so much pain. They put a brace on Tony's wrist for pain purposes. They wrapped Tony's arm up and put it in a sling. "Aren't you going to straighten his arm?"

"We can't. It is too dangerous. We don't have the right resources to do so. As long as he keeps the arm immobilized, he will be okay until he can go to a hospital." They put ice on the arm as well. When they were packed up, Tony thanked them. "You need to get to the hospital as soon as you can." Tony nodded. They walked to the elevator and left. Tony was breathing deeply. She sat on his desk. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. The wrist is what hurt the worst. It hurt in my actual wrist and my arm. What if I have to have surgery?" He sounded worried. Ziva took his good hand. "It will be fine. If I survived surgery, surely you can." She smiled. Emma came running through the bullpen. She smiled at Tony and Ziva. "Gibbs told me to come in here while he went to interrogate the man. I like it here." Tony smiled then asked, "Do you want to meet the rest of the team?" She nodded. Tony got up and walked Emma down to Abby's lab. Ziva followed. When they got down there, McGee wasn't there. "Hey, Abbs? Where's McGee?" Tony asked over her music.

"He went to watch the interrogation. Do you want me to pull up the camera?" She had her back to them. She was going through Grey's laptop. "Yeah." Abby pulled it up and turned around. She looked from Tony holding Emma's hand to Tony's arm. "This is Emma and I broke my arm chasing Grey. That was the short story do you want the long story?" Abby nodded. "Okay, can Ziva and Emma go to the back room?"

"Why can't we stay out here?" Emma asked.

"There's nothing for you to do out here. She has markers and paper for you to draw in her office." Emma smiled and drug Ziva to the back. Ziva helped her get paper and markers. Tony made sure they were settled. "Abby, I met Emma at one of Ziva's appointments. Her, her dad, and her brother were captured. The mother was on a business trip when it happened. Emma was experimented on. She has a disease now. Her father and brother were killed before the police could get them. Emma isn't responding to the treatments. That's what different about her disease. She isn't expected to live past ten years old. The doctors think she'll die by eight or nine. We saw Grey at the park. He was talking to her. When he saw that we knew her, he grabbed her and ran. I dodged a car, but another was behind it. I broke my arm diving out of the way. Grey knows where Emma's mom is, but we don't. Ducky called some paramedics to come treat my arm. I told them I can't go to the hospital yet because we are in the middle of the case. They x-rayed my arm. I had a dislocated wrist and both bones are broken. They popped my wrist back, and immobilized my arm. Now, we are taking her to meet the team."

"That's terrible. They experimented on her?" Tony nodded. "She won't make it past ten?"

"They don't expect her to." Abby shook her head. Suddenly, they heard Gibbs yelling. They went to watch the interrogation. "I'm not telling you were the woman is."

"Then I guess your going to jail." The man just looked at Gibbs. Gibbs stood up. "The woman's daughter has already lost her dad and her brother. She can't handle to lose her mother. Do you remember when you were six? Imagine growing up with NO family! She doesn't have anybody else!"Gibbs was less than an inch away from this man's face. He whispered something in the Grey's ear. Grey looked up and said, "Go to hell." Gibbs slammed his hand on the table and stormed out the door. Tony turned to look at Emma and Ziva. They were laughing at something. Tony started to get upset. He tried to move his arm, but winced at the pain. "Tony, we'll find her."

"How? We don't have a single clue. The playground doesn't have a camera, Grey isn't going to talk, and Emma didn't see when it happened. We have nothing to go on." Abby lowered her head. She knew as well as him that they probably weren't going to find anything. She went back to looking through Grey's computer. Tony went into the office. "Tony! I drew a picture of the team! It has everybody in it." He looked at the picture Emma had drawn. It had the whole team. She had drawn Vance and Palmer as well. "When did you meet them?" Tony asked.

"They were in the break room when Gibbs took me to get a snack." Tony handed the picture back to her. "I want you to keep it." Tony smiled. They made their way back to the bullpen. "Dinozzo," Gibbs said.

"Yes, boss?" He walked up to Gibbs. "You look like crap."

"I love you, too, Gibbs. It might have something with the fact that we stayed at work until midnight last night and had to come in at five this morning. I got three hours of sleep, I had to chase a man, and I kind of broke my arm. I think I deserve to look like crap. I'm stressed because we have no clues to where Emma's mother is." Tony was getting kind of snappy with Gibbs. Gibbs head slapped him. "Thank you, boss."

"Take a nap or something. Just don't be in a bad mood." Tony nodded. "McGee! What've you got?" Gibbs yelled to McGee. Tony wasn't listening to McGee and Ziva explain what they had found. He sat down at his desk. Emma was staring at the TV screen. The interrogation room was on the screen. "Tony!" She said in alarm.

"What's wrong?" He and Ziva walked behind her. Grey was trying to find a way out. He was smart enough to find a way to unlock the door. Ziva shot down the hallway. She got there just in time to see Grey peek through the door. "Going somewhere?" Grey stumbled back. Ziva walked into the room. Grey was standing by the door. He grabbed his chair pushed it against the door handle. "What are you doing?" Ziva asked him.

"You can't get out, and the others can't get in. Your trapped." He approached Ziva. She didn't back up. Hate built up inside of her. He had taken Emma's mother, Tony had to go through pain because of him, and he was trying to intimidate her now. He was only a few inches away from her face. She wasn't going to attack first. "Tell me, what was it like? Seeing your father dead? Seeing your lover in pain? Did it make you upset?" Ziva was taken aback. How did he know about her father? "How do you know about that?"

"I'm not stupid. I knew NCIS was going to come looking for me, so I looked into NCIS files. I know every dirty little secret," Grey was coming closer to her now. She backed away. She thought they were done with people looking through their files. Parsons had been enough to deal with. She expected someone to be at the door by now, but she didn't hear anything. Grey put his hands on the wall on either side of her. She ducked and shot towards the door. He grabbed her arm. He pressed his thumb against the place that she had been shot. Pain shot through her chest. She screamed as black spots came across her eyes. "I told you, I know every secret. You recently got shot. I can do much worse." Once she recovered from that, she swiped his legs out from under him. He hit the floor, but grabbed her ankle. She fell. He got up and kicked her in the stomach. She couldn't breathe, but she got up and instead of fighting, went towards the chair that was holding the door. She heard someone struggling against it. Tony and Gibbs yelled her name. She reached for it, but he wrapped his arm around her neck. Blackness started forming at the corners of her vision. She started feeling lightheaded and her lungs burned. She brought her foot up and it connected with his groin. He release her and she fell to the floor, coughing. She tried to pull the chair away from the door, but couldn't. She heard Gibbs still straining at the door, and heard Tony behind the glass. He was trying to figure out why they couldn't open the door. "Wise move, David, but you won't get away so easily."

"I don't want to fight you." She still was trying to catch her breath. Grey was approaching her again. She backed against the glass. Grey heard Tony behind the glass. He smirked and looked dead at his reflection, knowing Tony was watching. "Well, Mr. Dinozzo, I hear your arm was hurt. How about I hurt your heart now." He reached to Ziva's belt, pulling out the gun she had. He pointed it at her head. He gave the glass one last smirk and pulled the trigger.

**A/N: Yes, I'm ending on that note. Major. Freakin'. Cliffhanger. Yeaaaahhhhh, I'll write the next chapter as soon as this one is up. I would be pissed if I was in your shoes. Be happy I love you guys. I have to get up early in the morning, and I'm staying up late so that y'all can sleep peacefully tonight. The whole fixing of the arm, I just used what happened to me. I changed the reaction though. I was screaming and crying like somebody was trying to kill me. His arm will be okay. It just might need extra care because he can't get help right now. Rambling again... Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I'm tired. So if this is just flat out stupid, please forgive me. Tony gets to have his arm looked at, Emma's mother isn't found before the team is ready to go home. So she goes home with Tony and Ziva. Be happy I'm nice. I could've left you to wonder what would happen, but I didn't. Please enjoy!**

Tony watched as Ziva ran down the hallway. He turned to the screen and watched as she entered the room. He saw Grey do something with the chair, but didn't know what he had done. Grey spoke too quiet to be heard. He started getting closer to Ziva. Grey asked her something and her eyes widened with terror. He put his hands on the wall. Ziva tried to duck below his arm and run, but he grabbed her and pressed his thumb against her chest. She screamed. Tony told Emma to stay put and he ran down the hallway, followed by Gibbs. He tried to open the door, but the handle woundn't turn. "Ziva!" Tony yelled. Tony got an idea, he went to the observation room. He saw a chair was blocking the door. Ziva was being strangled. She kicked him in the groin. She fell to the ground and tried to move the chair. He yelled her name again. She stood up and so did Grey. She backed against the glass. Grey looked at him through the glass. He had an awful smirk on his face. Tony called her name again. Grey said, "Well, Mr. Dinozzo, I hear that your arm was hurt. How about I hurt your heart now?" He reached in Ziva's belt.

Tony didn't like where his hands where, but his heart stopped when he saw Grey pull out her gun and point it at her head. Gibbs walked into the room and stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh, god no. Please no!" He said. Grey smirked again. _'Ziva! Why are you just standing there? Do something!'_ Tony thought to himself. He knew why she wasn't moving. She was having flashbacks of what happened with Parsons. Tony's eyes started watering. He was about to lose the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he couldn't do anything about it. Gibbs saw Tony's jaw clench up. He looked away. Tony's sigh of relief caused him to look up again. He smiled. Ziva purposely had her gun with her because it wasn't loaded. He smiled as she said something. Tony started laughing. "Did you think I was that stupid? I knew you would try to get my gun, so I took the magazine out in order to do this," She kneed him in the stomach and grabbed her gun. She improvised and used it as a club. Grey was out cold. Ziva moved the chair, but then collapsed.

Tony and Gibbs ran to her. Tony opened the door. McGee came down the hall with handcuffs. Tony turned and saw Ziva slumped against the wall. He knelt beside her. "Ziva. Please look at me," Tony said. She didn't look up at him. "Ziver, come on. Look at us," Gibbs said. When she looked up, she was crying. Gibbs hugged her. "You did the right thing, Ziva. You didn't attack first, and you didn't fight back more than you needed to," Gibbs whispered in her ear. He let go of her and went to help McGee. Tony looked into her eyes. She knew what color they were going to be before she even looked at them. Forest green. He helped her up. When she was on her feet again, he pulled her into a hug. It hurt his arm when she leaned against it, but he ignored the pain. When she pulled back, she wasn't crying anymore.

When they got back to the bullpen, Emma was sitting at Tony's desk. She had tears rolling down her face. "What's wrong, Emma?" he asked.

"Its all my fault." Tony was confused. He sat on the floor in front of her. "What was your fault?"

"I'm the reason you hurt your arm. I'm the reason Ziva just got attacked. If I could just tell him where they were keeping me, you wouldn't have had to chase him and he wouldn't be so much of a mean person. My mommy would be here." Tony's heart shattered. He got up and put her in his lap. "Emma, listen to me. It is not your fault that this is happening. You were only four when it happened. I'm sure you don't even remember going in the building. Don't you dare blame any of this on yourself. We'll find your mommy. I promise." She smiled at him and hugged him, avoiding his hurt arm. Gibbs had handcuffed Grey to the chair. He left him in the room.

It was around five o' clock. Tony really needed to go get his arm looked at. "Go home, get some rest. But go to the hospital first," Gibbs said. Tony looked over at Ziva. She was getting ready to go home. They had made a lot of progress on their case, and Tony did need someone to take him to the hospital. "Ziva, can you go with me to the hospital? I might need somebody to drive me home." She nodded. Tony turned his computer off, grabbed his badge and gun, and went to get Emma from Abby's lab. The team had to go question a few people, and Emma couldn't go. He walked into the lab. "Emma, your going to come home with us tonight. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. I don't have any pajamas or clothes to wear tomorrow. I have medicine that I have to take." Tony thought for a minute. He got an idea. "Don't worry about it, we'll take care of you." She smiled, told Abby goodnight and followed them out the door. Tony buckled her in. Ziva didn't like the idea of Tony driving again, so they left his car there. "Emma, we are going to stop by the hospital so they can look at my arm. We are going to ask for your medicine while we're there."

"Okay." They got to the hospital and went into the emergency room. Tony's arm was considered an emergency. They did everything they had to do. When Tony finally got someone to look at his arm, Ziva and Emma stayed in the emergency room. If he needed surgery that night, she would take Emma to get clothes and they would stay there. If he needed it tomorrow, she would go ahead and take Emma home. If he didn't need surgery at all, she would wait for whatever they had to do and they would leave together. Tony called her around six-thirty. "They scheduled my surgery for tomorrow. The doctor is giving me a splint. Apparently, only one is snapped, the other is just fractured. No bone fragments, so the only thing we have to worry about is swelling. Ice should help that. I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay." Ziva hung up and looked at Emma. "His surgery will be tomorrow, he can come home tonight. He should be out here in a minute." Emma smiled. Tony came out in a sling, but he had a splint on now. "Okay, I'm going to ask the nurse for your medicine. You can go out to the car." Ziva and Emma went out to the car while Tony explained why he had Emma with him. He had to show his badge. She finally gave him the medicine. He walked out to the car. Now, they had to go to the store and get Emma some clothes. Tony was kind of worried. He had never had to care for a little girl overnight. It was a good thing Ziva was here to help.

**A/N: So, he has to have a surgery, and then go back to work? Yes, that is the plan. I had to do it, after staying at the hospital for six hours, but I still had to go. Sorry if its stupid, but its almost midnight. The next chapter will be up sometime tomorrow, it will be about shopping for Emma and the night spent with her. Tell me what you think, please. Thank you for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey guys! This chapter is about Tony and Ziva having to keep Emma over night. Sweet moments are plentiful. Apparently, Tony has gotten over his fear of children. I think it is his fatherly instincts kicking in. Thank you for the follows and favorites and all the other stuff. Anyways, on with the show. Please enjoy!**

It was kind of hard to find places to go and get Emma clothes because neither one of them knew where they could go. "Emma, where do you normally go shopping?" She told them the name of a store, and they found their way to it. Tony stayed in the car while Emma and Ziva went in the store. They came out twenty minutes later with two bags. "What do you want for dinner, Emma?" Tony asked. He turned around to look at her. "I don't really care."

"What are you allowed to eat?" She thought for a minute or two. Finally she said, "I can eat spaghetti, pizza, hamburgers, certain kinds of sandwiches, and a bunch of other things. I listed my favorites first."

"Would you like spaghetti?" Tony asked. She nodded and smiled. "Okay, I have things at my apartment for spaghetti. Can we run by and get them and then go to your house?" Tony asked Ziva. She nodded. They drove to his apartment. Tony got out of the car. "I'll be right back."

"Can I come with you? I want to see your apartment," Emma looked at him. He nodded. She got out of the car and followed him in. When they got up to his apartment, Tony went to the kitchen. Emma stared, wide eyed at his apartment. "Wow, this is a nice place." She walked over to the piano. Tony frowned and stepped over to get a better view. Emma sat down on the bench and uncovered the keys. She put her fingers on the keys and started playing. Tony listened in amazement as she played so beautifully. He knew the song, but he couldn't place the name. He finished getting all of the supplies he needed for dinner. She finished the song and put the cover back. Tony smiled at her when they were walking out the door. "Where did you learn to play like that?" He asked her.

"My daddy wanted me to be musical, so he started me on lessons when I was four. I kept playing even after he went away. I want to be musical now, for him." She was looking at her feet. Tony looked down at her. "Well, it was a beautiful song."

Ziva was helping Emma get a bath and Tony was making dinner. It was hard with one arm, but he managed. Emma came out in a light blue nightgown and her hair french braided into a ponytail. When her arms were exposed, Tony noticed how small they were. Both of them put together didn't even look like half the size of one of his arms. He finished making the spaghetti. Ziva set the table for three. Emma sat down. Ziva carried in the bowl of spaghetti. She sat down. Finally, Tony came in and sat down. Tony reached to get himself a serving of spaghetti. "Wait!" Emma exclaimed. His hand froze halfway. "We have to say the blessing. Mommy said to always do that. Some people don't have food, and we need to thank God that we do." She looked at him with wide eyes. He frowned and brought his hand back. She reached for Ziva's hand across the table. Ziva took it and reached for Tony's good hand. Emma reached for Tony's hand, but he couldn't offer it. Emma reached out and put her tiny hand gently on his hand in the sling. She smiled at him and bowed her head. Ziva did the same, Tony hesitated, but finally lowered his head. Emma prayed out loud and finished it with Amen. Tony hadn't prayed since his mother died. He watched Ziva put a small serving of spaghetti on Emma's plate. She thanked her and started eating. Tony put some on his plate. "What time are you supposed to be having surgery, Tony?" Ziva asked him.

"They scheduled me at ten. I'll be out by around eleven. I should be able to leave at four," Tony said. They finished their meal. It was eight-thirty. "Okay, Emma. Time for bed. Go brush your teeth and use the bathroom. Then, you have to take your medicine." Tony said. While she was doing that, he and Ziva were putting sheets on the guest bed. Emma came into the room as Ziva tosses the last pillow on the bed. Tony walked into the kitchen, followed by Emma. He picked her up and sat her on the counter. She had to take two big pills. Tony handed her the pills. She didn't take them. "Emma, you have to take your medicine." She shook her head and frowned. "Be a big girl and take your pills."

"I liked the liquid medicine better. Mommy changed me to pills when I turned six. I don't like the pills. They hurt." Tony had an idea. He got the pills he had to take. "I don't like taking pills either. I have to talk myself into taking my medicine. How about we take ours together? I'll take one of mine at the same time you take one of yours. Then, we'll take the other one. Okay?" She nodded. He got one of his and she got one of hers. She had a glass of water in her other hand. "One... Two... Three," they put the pills their mouths and took a sip of water. "See, that wasn't so bad. Now, let's do the other one." He counted again and they took their second pill. He helped her off the counter and they walked back to the guest bedroom. Tony pulled back the comforter for her and she climbed up on the bed. Tony pulled the blanket over her. He handed her Mary. Ziva was leaning against the door frame. "Tony, can you tell me a bedtime story? Mommy always does."

"I can try. No promises on if it will be any good." He sat beside her on the bed. He had to think. He remembered a story his mother always told him. "Have you ever heard the tale of The Tortoise and the Hare?" She shook her head. Tony went into the familiar story about how a tortoise beat a hare in a race because the hare thought that he would win without a doubt and goofed off. The tortoise won because the hare took a nap in the middle of the race. Emma smiled at the end of the story. "Thank you, Tony. I liked that story." She hugged him. "Your welcome. Good night, Emma."

"Good night, Tony. Good night, Ziva."

"Good night, Emma," Ziva said. Tony turned off the light. He and Ziva went into the kitchen to finish cleaning up. They were silent for a while. Then Ziva said, "I thought you were afraid of kids. What you have done for Emma shows that you are not."

"I was afraid of small children. Children under the age of five," he explained. When they had finished cleaning, they headed to bed. Tony wanted to wrap both arms around Ziva, but he couldn't. Ziva still snuggled up to him. He wrapped his good arm around her. "What is bothering you?" She asked him. He thought she was asleep. "Nothing's bothering me."

"You are lying." He sighed. She wasn't going to give this up until he told her. "I haven't prayed since before my mother died. Emma is changing me. I know its in a good way, but-"

"You thought of her like a daughter. You know she's not, but you would do anything for her." Ziva could pretty much read his mind. He nodded. "I had the same thought when I was helping her with her bath and shopping with her." The two just lay there. Tony's breathing became steady, and Ziva relaxed and gave into her tiredness.

"Tony?" He felt someone taping his shoulder. "Tony?" The tapping got harder. "HEY DINOZZO?!" Tony's eyes snapped open. He saw Emma standing by his bed. She smiled at him. "Emma? Did you just call me DiNozzo?" She nodded. "Ziva said if you didn't wake up, to call you DiNozzo. It obviously works. Ziva is making breakfast. She told me to come wake you up." Tony looked up at the clock. It was seven o' clock. He needed to be at the hospital by eight-thirty. He got up and walked into the bathroom. He needed to take a shower. He didn't know how he would manage that. He took the sling off, knowing it was probably a stupid move, and got in shower. He kept his bad arm out of the water. When he got out, he put sweat pants and a t-shirt on. He put the sling back on and walked into the kitchen. Ziva and Emma were eating pancakes. "Aren't you going to eat any?" Emma asked.

"No, I'm not allowed to eat before surgery. They smell good." He sat in the chair by Ziva. She smiled at him. Emma finished her breakfast and went back to the room she had slept in. She came out wearing a white skirt with pink flowers on it. She had a light pink shirt on and white slip on shoes. She sat on the couch and Ziva took her braid down. She brushed Emma's hair and put it half up, half down. She tied a white ribbon in her hair. Her hair was wavy from the braid she slept in. Emma thanked her and gave her a hug.

They got in the car at eight-fifteen. Ziva was going to drop Tony off at the hospital and then go to work. She would leave Emma there while she went back to the hospital during Tony's surgery. She would make sure everything was okay with him and go back to work. If he was going to be able to leave at four, she would pick him up and take him back to work. If Emma's mother wasn't found, they would repeat what they did last night. Everything was planned out. She made sure Tony was okay, then she drove to work. It would be an interesting day.

**A/N: Interesting day ahead, indeed. The next chapter is going to be about the exciting day Ziva has ahead of her. It will also feature Tony, with serious pain killers :) Should be interesting. Please tell me what you think. Reviews are appreciated, like seriously. Any suggestions you have, please tell me. Thank you for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey guys! So the last chapter was adorable! Tony has surgery and anesthetic in this chapter :) Gonna be fun! Thank you for the reviews and favorites and follows. I appreciate them! My schedule is slowing down, and I might be able to get two chapters up on some days. If you want me to do that. Please enjoy!**

"Ziva, where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as she and Emma walked into the the bullpen. Emma rolled Tony's chair over to Ziva's desk. "He is at the hospital. His surgery is scheduled at ten. If he gets out before eleven, and if everything goes well after that, he will be able to leave by four. I will bring him back here," Ziva said. She looked at Emma. Emma was staring off into space. "You are in deep thought, Emma. What are you thinking about?"

"I want to talk to the man that took my mommy." She didn't say it in her usual little girl voice. It was a demanding tone. Gibbs looked up from the file he was reading. McGee stared across the room at her. "Okay, lets go," Gibbs said, getting up. Emma got up as well. "Gibbs, I don't think that is such a good idea," Ziva said.

"I'll be with her, Grey will be tied up, and I'm pretty sure Emma can handle whatever he throws at her." Ziva didn't like this idea. If anything happened, she wouldn't be able to tell Tony. He might not forgive her for not stopping Emma. Ziva followed them down the hall. Gibbs and Emma went in the first door, Ziva went in the second. Ziva was surprised that Emma stared right at the man. Gibbs pulled the chair out for her. She thanked him and sat down. "Well, looks like somebody took care of you. Was it that sorry excuse for an agent, Tony? Or was it the bitch who claims she was Mossad and didn't fight back?"

"You can call Tony a lot of things, but he is _not_ a sorry excuse for an agent. You don't even have the right to call Ziva a bitch. You're an evil man. I don't know where I was held two years ago, I was four. Can you remember anything from when you were four?" Emma locked her fingers together and laid her hands down in front of her. She was not intimidated at all. "I'm a lot older than you, I've seen more than you, I've been through more than you. I have a reason to not remember when I was four."

"Were you tied to a table and given shots that made you sick?! NO! Did you lose your brother _and_ father at the same time? I doubt it! Are you a six year old girl with a disease who is only supposed to have two more years to live? Don't look like it to me! Are you dealing with having a mother who was kidnapped? Probably not! I've been through plenty! Now, tell me where my mother is," Emma said, she was staring at Grey with her gold eyes. Gibbs was in the corner standing with his arms crossed. "I don't think this girl has the right to be talking to me," Grey looked at Gibbs. Gibbs just tilted his head and stared at Grey. "All I want is freedom and security. I want to go home, I want to be protected. I didn't take your mother. A man paid me to go in his spot and talk to you. I didn't kill that Marine either. He was my friend. I'm acting like a criminal, but I'm not."

"Your lying," Emma said. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Your too fidgety to be telling the truth." He leaned back in his chair. "I thought that would work."

"It didn't. Dwight D. Eisenhower said, 'If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom.' So, you maybe do want security, but you're going to prison." Emma got up and walked towards the door, before she left, however, she walked back to Grey and kicked him in the shin. He yelled in pain. Gibbs opened the door for her and she walked out. Ziva hugged her as soon as she was out of the door. "Are you sure you're six years old? That was pretty adult stuff in there," Ziva said. Emma wasn't smiling. "Why aren't you happy? With the speech you gave him, it would break any criminal."

"I need to go wash my mouth out with soap. I said the 'B' word." Ziva looked at her and laughed. Emma's sad expression turned into a smile. Gibbs laughed and gently tapped Emma on the back of the head. "What was that for?"

"Not punching him in the face." She raised her eyebrows at him and started towards the door. Ziva stopped her. "He was joking." They walked back to the bullpen. McGee was smiling. "I'm putting that on DVD so Tony can watch that. You were amazing, Emma!" She walked over and hugged him. "Thank you McGee. I try to be amazing." She pulled back and smiled. "Emma, I'm going to take you down to Abby's lab while I go back to the hospital."

"Can I go with you? I would love to go down and spend time with Abby, but I want to tell Tony that I did my first interrogation!" She looked up at Ziva. She thought for a minute. "Ii suppose, it might be a long wait."

"I have a secret stash of movies in the waiting room. We can watch one of them. The nurses keep them there because I get bored when I'm waiting at my doctors' appointments," Emma said. To strangers, Emma could be Tony's child. She loved movies to? Ziva smiled. "Then let's go."

"Emma walked up to the nurses station. "Hi, can I watch one of my movies? Nobody else is in here, and I'm waiting on Tony's surgery to be done." The nurse nodded and handed her a stack of movies. Emma brought them over to Ziva. There were princess movies, action movies, and a movie about horses. Emma chose 'Lilo and Stitch'. "Its my favorite movie. I have a favorite quote. 'Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten.'" Emma put the movie in DVD player and sat down by Ziva. They watched the movie about a little alien who crash landed in Hawaii and changed the lives of a family, forever. Ziva thought to herself, _'Emma crash landed in our lives. She is changing our lives forever as well.'_

"Miss David, Emma, Tony can take visitors now." The nurse stuck her head through the door and found Ziva and Emma in the waiting room. She led them down the hallway. They entered the room. "Hey, Ziva. Hi, Emma. What brings you to the awesome party?" Tony's eyes didn't stay on them. They shifted around the room. "The anesthetic hasn't worn off yet. He is a little loopy. He should be back to normal in a few hours." Emma sat down in the chair by his bed. He had his arm in a cast and it was elevated on a sling attached to the bed. "Hi, Tony. How do you feel?" She asked.

"Like a million bucks. Seriously, I think thats how much this is gonna cost," He was serious. Ziva smiled. She sat down at the foot of his bed. "Hey, I know you. You're my love, right?" He pointed to Ziva. She pointed back. "Are you sure about that?" He stopped smiling. "I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is."

"Forrest Gump. I like that movie," Emma said. Tony looked at her. "I thought I was the one who always made movie references. Did I imagine that?" Ziva laughed. "No, Emma is just as good at it apparently." His mouth formed the letter 'O'. His eyes darted to across the room. "Do you see the lizard with wings on the wall?" They both looked to where his eyes were. The light switch for the closet in his room was a lizard. They nodded sarcastically. They stayed in there for about another hour. Then, Ziva said, "Okay, Tony. If you are okay, I need to get back to work. Do you need anything else?" He shook his head. Emma got up and followed Ziva out the door. "Are you hungry? We can stop somewhere and get lunch before we have to go back," Ziva said.

"Yeah, can I get chicken nuggets?" Ziva nodded.

"So he really asked if there was a lizard with wings?" Abby asked Emma. Emma nodded. She was down in Abby's lab. Ziva had to go out in the field. They were sitting on the floor, going through old files. Abby and McGee would actually read them, then, if they weren't helpful, they would hand them to Emma. She would put them in the box. Abby thumped McGee behind the ear when he said something stupid. McGee thumped her back, only to be rewarded with a punch on the arm. Emma looked at them and raised one of her eyebrows. "What's that look for?" McGee asked her. She smiled, shook her head, and said, "Oh, nothing." Abby gave her a puzzled look. She wanted to change the subject. "Who did your hair, Emma? Its very pretty."

"Thank you. Ziva braided it last night, so it would be wavy this morning. She found a ribbon to match my outfit and tied it in my hair. I like it like this." She ran her fingers through it, and smiled. Ducky walked in with a cup. "Abby, this was found in the Lieutenant's foot. I need you to figure out what it is. Hello, Emma."

"Hi, Ducky. How are you?"

"Splendid. How was Anthony? Did the surgery go alright?"

"Yeah. He was kind of loopy afterwards though. But when is Tony ever not loopy?" They all laughed. Ducky agreed with her. "He quoted a line from a movie to Ziva, and I said what movie it was from. He looked at me and asked, 'I thought I was the one who always made movie references. Did I imagine that?"

"He does make quite a few movie references." Ducky told them good bye and went back to Autopsy. Abby started running tests, so McGee said, "Why don't we give this a break? Maybe Ziva's back. Do you want to go see?" She nodded. They walked back up to the bullpen. Gibbs and Ziva stepped into the elevator at the first stop it made. "Hi, Emma. Did you have fun going through files?"

"No. I had fun watching McGee and Abby flirt." Gibbs looked at McGee. McGee's eyes were wide. "Is that true, McGee?"

"No. What? No. I don't flirt with Abby."

"Anymore," Gibbs added. Emma giggled, "Busted." Ziva smiled.

"Gibbs, I'm going to check on Tony. If he can leave, I'll bring him back here. If he can't I'll still come back here." Ziva grabbed her keys and headed towards the elevator. Emma didn't go this time because it was only going to be harder to deal with Tony on pain killers, and Emma trying to make him do stupid things. Emma stayed at Ziva's desk. "Gibbs?"

"Yes, Emma?" He looked up. She was coloring a picture. "Was it scary, being a Marine? Did you ever think you were going to die?"

"I knew I was probably going to die. It had its scary moments, but I never let fear over come me."

"Semper Fi. My daddy used to say that. I like it. It makes me feel safe." Gibbs smiled. "Me too." Emma looked at him. He went back to whatever he was working on. "Do you like coffee? My brother and daddy were both Marines and they didn't like it when people messed with their coffee. Are you like that?" Gibbs chuckled. "Tell her, McGee."

"Rule twenty-three. Never mess with a Marine's coffee... if you want to live. Every member of this team had to learn that the hard way."

"He didn't kill you, so the Wrath of Gibbs must not be so bad." McGee's head snapped over to look at her. He looked at her like she was crazy. "You don't want to experience Gibbs without his morning coffee. It gets pretty bad." Gibbs looked up at McGee. "You think that, McGee? I don't think it gets that bad." McGee went back to working, Emma laughed. Gibbs smiled. Emma was a good kid, he didn't have any hits on where her mom might be, though. He wouldn't give up until he found her.

**A/N: So, a flying lizard? Wow. Emma knows movies too! Ohana 3 believe me, that will lead somewhere. Emma's interrogation... talk about a mature six year old. Tony will be back in the office, with pain killers, in the next chapter (which should be up laterrrrr) He also gets the news about her interrogation. How will he react to that? Guess we'll find out later. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hey guys! So I'm going to tell you who I base Emma's character on. I base her on my little sister. All the way back to the losing her father and brother. She was adopted by my family after her mother was kidnapped. She has a disease like Emma. Emma's personality and her level of intelligence is based on her as well. I just thought I would share that with you so you would know that this awesome little girl isn't just made up. **

**Sorry, you didn't ask for my life story. Anyways, Tony is back in the office, with those darned pain killers. A situation with Emma leads him to tell her that he will be there for her. Thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites. I hope you enjoy!**

Ziva returned with Tony. He walked over to his desk and sat down. His arm was in a white cast and he had a sling. "How long do you have to keep the cast on?" McGee asked.

"Four weeks. The sling only has to stay for three days," Ziva said. Tony started spinning around in his chair. He saw gold eyes watching him every time he went around. He stopped to look at them. The world tilted and turned. "Woah, who's spinning the room?"

"You are," Emma said. He looked at her. "No, I don't think I am. I don't like to spin rooms anymore. I think you're just trying to trick me." Emma stared at him and laughed. Tony started laughing too, but then stopped. "Wait, why are we laughing?" Emma shook her head and went back over to Ziva's desk. "Tony, why don't you go down to Abby's lab for a few minutes. Emma can come with you," Ziva said. He nodded his head. Emma grabbed his hand and showed him the way.

When they got down there, Tony walked in and put his hand up like a gun. "Federal agents!" He exclaimed. Abby looked at him. "Don't move, I'll shoot." She stepped to the right. Tony made shooting sounds. Abby fell to the floor. Emma laughed. Abby got up and hugged Tony. "Hi, Tony. How do you feel?"

"I don't know. You're the one touching me. How do I feel?"

"Have you been working out? You feel rather muscular," Abby said, squeezing his arm. Tony smiled. "I have actually, thank you for noticing." Emma raised her eyebrows. "What?" Tony asked.

"I seriously doubt you have been to a gym recently." Tony stared at her. She laughed. It was fun to mess with him when he was on pain killers. "Tony, what's the capital of Nebraska? This is a test," Emma asked him. He thought for a minute. "N. Because that's the only letter you capitalize in Nebraska." Emma made a buzzer sound. Tony flinched and looked around. "Sorry, Tony. That was wrong."

"Then what is the capital of Nebraska?"

"The heck if I know. I was just seeing what you would say." Tony laughed. Ziva came down to the lab. "Hi, Ziva!" Tony exclaimed. He came over and gave her a one-armed bear hug. She hugged back. "Can I ask you a question, Tony?"

"I don't know. Can you?" Ziva narrowed her eyes at him. He smiled. "Yes, you can ask me a question."

"Okay, this is serious. You have to look me in the eye when you answer it. Do you understand?" He gave her a suspicious look then nodded. Ziva took a deep breath. "Do you see the flying lizard behind you?" He turned his head slowly and looked behind him. "No, I don't. Where did that come from?"

"You asked the same question at the hospital. I was just mocking you." Tony frowned at her. She frowned back. "I want to get out of this sling," Tony said.

"Hold your cattle," Ziva said. Tony looked at her. "Horses, Ziva. Hold your horses." She glared at him. "Sometimes I want to break you in half."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because then there would be two of you to deal with," Emma piped in. Ziva looked at her. Emma gave her a confused look. "Is that not where you were going with that?" Ziva shook her head and laughed. "No. My answer was going to be because then, I wouldn't have anybody to correct my sayings."

* * *

They made their way back up to the bullpen. Tony sat and smiled at the wall. Ziva didn't like him on pain killers. He was funny, but she worried about what he would say. She had to go down with Gibbs to talk to their victims' sister. She followed Gibbs to the conference room. When she returned, Tony was glaring at the wall. "Thank god, he's back to normal," Gibbs said.

"How could you tell I was back to normal?"

"You were glaring at the wall. Anybody would figure it out." He walked over to his desk and sat down. "Boss, what did I miss when I was gone?"

"I'm going to let Emma tell you." Tony looked over at Emma, she smiled, exposing her missing teeth. "I did my first interrogation." Tony looked at her, then at Gibbs, then at Ziva. "Who did you interrogate?"

"Grey," she said. Tony frowned. "I have it recorded, Tony," McGee said. He pulled up the footage on the screen. Tony stood up and watched. He watched closely. At the end, he laughed when Emma kicked him. "How could you tell he was lying?"

"Instincts. He didn't look me in the eye when he said it, and he wasn't being still." Emma kept finding ways to amaze him. Tony thought Grey was being serious. "Do you know what she said to me after that, Tony?" Ziva asked. "She said she needed to go wash her mouth out with soap because she said the 'B' word." Tony laughed. He was happy she had stood up for them. "Emma, if I remember correctly, you made a movie reference. Did I imagine that?" Tony asked her. She smiled and shook her head. "Forrest Gump."

* * *

"Emma's house was broken into. We have to go investigate," Gibbs said. It was already past six o' clock. Emma looked up at Gibbs. "Why did somebody break into our house?"

"I don't know. That's why we are going to go and look for clues. You need to come with us. You can tell us if anything is missing." The team grabbed their gear and headed towards the elevator. Gibbs told them to go ahead. He had to do a few things before he came out. Tony held the elevator and waited. Gibbs told them to go ahead and go down. Tony pulled his arms back and the elevator doors closed. They went down to the NCIS cars. Ziva pulled out a pair of pants her and Emma had found while they went shopping. She got shoes and socks for Emma too. "It is hard to go to a crime scene in a skirt and nice shoes." Emma took them and thanked her. She went behind one of the cars. She came out and handed Ziva her skirt and shoes. Ziva put them in her bag. Gibbs came down and they loaded up. Tony, Ziva, and Emma went in one car. McGee and Gibbs took the other.

They arrived at Emma's house. The police already had it taped off. NCIS had been called because they were searching for the owner of the house, Emma's mother. Gibbs pulled Emma aside. He handed her a hat, a jacket, and a badge. The badge was small, but it still said NCIS Federal Agent. Emma thanked Gibbs and hugged him. She pulled the jacket over her head, it was too big, but she still wore it. It came down to about mid thigh on her, and her hands didn't come through the sleeves. The hat fit pretty good because it was adjustable. Gibbs held the tape up for her. She walked under it. She walked into her house and saw destruction. Pictures were broken, dishes were shattered, and everything was scattered. "I know it'll be hard, but tell us if anything is missing."

"I'll try." She started looking around. "Wait, Emma. Before you touch anything, put these gloves on. Rule two, Always wear gloves at a crime scene." Gibbs handed her a pair of gloves. She put them on. They didn't fit, but she still kept them on. She shifted things and looked all around the front part of the house. "I don't think anything is missing." She walked to the back of the house. Tony followed her. She was sitting on her bed, crying when he found her. "Emma, what's wrong?" He asked. He sat down on the bed beside her. "Teddy's dog tags are gone. So are daddy's. It was the only thing left of them." Tony hugged her. She pulled out of his hug. She stood up and wiped her tears away. "If it's worse, it's a sign it's almost over."

"My Fair Lady, 1964 Audr-"

"Audrey Hepburn said that. I believe it fully." She took a deep breath and continued looking. She had never pulled out of one of his hugs before. Did he do something? Tony left her alone because she seemed more angry than upset. "Her father and brothers' dog tags are missing. Nothing else," Tony reported to Gibbs. They were looking for finger prints, but didn't find any. Emma was sitting on the couch. She looked up and saw her family portrait that they had taken when she was three. It was cracked. She saw something in the glass. She picked up the picture and looked at it. "Tony," she said. He walked over to her. She pointed to the crack. "Ziva, got something." She walked over. She got the tweezers and pulled out the strand of hair. It was blonde. Neither one of the people who lived there had blonde hair. Ziva put it in a container.

* * *

It was almost dark when they finished. Tony told Emma to grab some clothes from her room. Ziva came to help her. "I can get my own clothes." Ziva stood at the door. Emma got a pair of green capri jeans, a light blue shirt, and she would just wear her a pair of shoes she had with her. When she was trying to get the shirt, she couldn't reach it. She jumped, trying to reach it. Ziva came in and helped. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Emma walked out of the house. She got into the car and picked Mary up off the seat. Tony got in next. He looked back at Emma. She was looking at the floorboard. "Emma." She looked up at Tony. Her eyes were red. "Why me? Out of all the people in the world, why do I go through this? What if I don't ever see my mommy again? What do I do then? My grandparents died years ago, both my parents were the only child in the family, all of my mommy's friends are either in the armed forces, or they don't want kids. Am I going to go to an orphanage and be like Annie? Tony, I don't want to go to an orphanage."

"Hey, don't talk like that. You're not going to go to an orphanage. We'll find your mother. I promise. Until we do, Ziva and I will take care of you. Grey has to talk eventually. We always find a way to get our suspects to talk. If we have to unleash the fury on him."

"Like Nick Fury?"

"We'll release the whole Avengers on him." Emma giggled. "There's that laugh I love." Tony turned back around. "Hey, Tony?"

Hey, Emma?"

"Thank you, for everything. Ziva's lucky ya' know. You act all tough and federal agentish on the outside, but you're just a big teddy bear on the inside. You know that, right?" He laughed and nodded. Ziva got in the car. "I'm surprised Emma hasn't begged for her life yet with your driving," Tony said to her. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. "I think its fun," Emma said. Ziva smiled at Tony. He just stuck his tongue our at her. "So immature." She started the car. Tony made sure Emma was buckled. They drove back to NCIS.

"Do you have everything?" Tony asked Emma as she got out of the car. She double checked. "Yes." Tony shut the door. He and Emma were the last ones down in the garage. "Have you ever seen Lilo and Stitch?" Emma asked him.

"No." Emma looked up at him. He would have to see it. She brought it with her. Maybe they could watch it tonight.

**A/N: So, Tony on pain killers... Lizards and Nebraska. Interesting. The next chapter should be up tomorrow. If you want me to, and if I have time, I might be able to get two chapters up. Please tell me what you think! I appreciate reviews and such. Thank you for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey guys! Chapter 20! That's like... major. The story is still going strong! I hope it stays that way! This is just about another night at Tony's but he finally watched Lilo and Stitch. We have a Gibbs and Tony talk in here. We also find out what the sticky note says. Tony replies to it :) Thanks for the follows and favorites and all that other stuff. Please enjoy!**

Emma sat in the corner behind Ziva's desk. She was looking at the badge Gibbs had given her. She still had her hat on. Tony looked at Ziva. She forced a smile. Tony pulled out the sticky note she had given him. He read it and wrote something on it. He got up and took it to Ziva. She read it and smiled. "Tony," she said. He gave her that DiNozzo smile that makes her melt. He leaned down to kiss her but Gibbs came by and slapped him on the back of the head. "Get a room if you want to do that. What did you find out?" Tony gave Ziva a look and went to tell Gibbs what he had found. Ziva turned to look at Emma. "Now, Ziva. You know better than to go kissing while you're at work. Gosh. Federal agents. What're you gonna do with 'em." Ziva smiled at Emma's comment. She had written Tony a note that said, simply, 'I Love You!'. He wrote below that, 'Ditto, but times a lifetime.' She put it on her desk.

"We still don't have any information on Emma's mother. We'll bring Grey back tomorrow to see what we can find," Gibbs said to Tony as he get ready to leave. Ziva and Emma had already left. Tony had to stay and catch up on a few things. "Do you need a ride home, DiNozzo?"

"No, I just have a few things to catch up on." Gibbs looked at him. He knew this was just as hard on Tony as it was on Emma. "We'll find her, Tony."

"Dead or alive?" Tony asked, looking up from his work. Gibbs didn't answer. "We have no leads, no evidence, and an idiot as our main suspect. What if he doesn't talk. Then what the hell are we supposed to do? Emma doesn't deserve to have to go through this. First, she loses her mother. Then, she tries to blame herself for what happened to me and Ziva. Now, the only part of her father and brother she has left is gone. When is it going to get better for her?"

"We've solved cases with no leads before, DiNozzo. He will talk because you're interrogating him. Emma is dealing with this pretty well. When Abby gets a match on the DNA, we'll be another step closer to finding those tags. I'm willing to bet that the break-in and her mother's disappearance are connected. Now, go home. We got all day tomorrow."

"Thank you, boss."

"DiNozzo?"

"Yes, boss?"

"If something does happen to Emma's mother, you can't tell me that you won't take her." Tony thought about what he said. He knew he and Ziva would end up adopting Emma if something did happen to her mother. He was ready to take Emma's advice that she had given at the hospital. "If you're smart, you won't take any other girl." Tony thought back on her words. He just gave Gibbs a look and then smiled. He packed up and left. He didn't realize how useful his left arm was until he couldn't use it anymore. Everything was difficult. He managed, though. He got into his car.

When he got to Ziva's house, the front door was locked. He had a key and unlocked the door. Emma and Ziva were sitting on the couch eating pizza. "Tony, can we watch a movie?" Emma asked.

"What movie do you want to watch?" Tony came behind the couch and kissed Ziva on the head. Emma looked up at him. "Lilo and Stitch." She showed him the movie that she had brought. Tony took it and put it in the DVD player. He sat down in between the two. He hadn't ever seen this movie before. He didn't know if he would like it. He got a piece of pizza.

Ziva put her head on his shoulder sometime in the movie. He wrapped his arm around her. When the movie was over, Tony had to do the medicine ritual again. Emma had already had her bath. Her hair was braided regularly, not french braided. He told her a different story that night. One about a flying lizard."Lizards don't fly, Tony," She giggled.

"They do in the magical world of pain killers. If I ever have to have those again, stay away from me. I don't want any surprise questions." She raised her eyebrows at him. "No promises." He laughed and told her good night. "Good night, Tony. Good night, Ziva."

"Good night, Emma." Tony turned out the light. He and Ziva walked back to the bedroom. He took the sling off and stripped down to his boxers. She put his OSU shirt on. "Did I really ask about a flying lizard?"

"Yes. You also told me I was your love. I asked you if you were sure. Then, you said, 'I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is.' Emma made the movie connection. So you can make movie references even when you don't know what you're doing?"

"I guess so." She laughed. Tony wrapped his good arm around her. "Ohana means family, and family means nobody left behind. Or forgotten. I like that, Ziva."

"I do too. Emma said that is her favorite movie quote of all time." Tony nodded. Ziva's breaths steady. Tony kissed her head and closed his eyes.

* * *

Tony looked up at the clock. It was four a.m. He felt wide awake. Since they had been back at work for almost a month now, they didn't have to start coming in until eight. Tony got up to take a shower. He kept his arm out of the water. When he got out, he put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He walked down the hallway to the guest room. Emma was tossing and turning. She grunted and tossed and turned again. Tony walked over to the bed. "Emma. Wake up." He shook her gently. She opened her eyes. "Bad dream?" He asked her. She nodded. "Okay," he crawled over her and laid down on the other side of the bed. His injured arm was back in the sling, so his right arm pulled her closer. He stroked her head. "What was the dream about?" He asked.

"There was a monster chasing me. I was running with my family, but one by one the monster ate them. Then he ate my other family." Tony kept stroking her head. She was shaking. "Next time, you know what you do with the monster?" Emma shook her head. "You just have to be scarier than it. Scare him away. Growl and roar. It always helped my monster dreams." Emma giggled. She wasn't shaking anymore. She relaxed and closed her eyes. Before she fell asleep, Tony asked her, "Emma, who's your other family?"

"The team." She yawned and fell asleep.

**A/N: She thinks of them as family too! How sweet! Tony just has a way with advice and bad dreams. He admitted that he would take Emma if her mother wasn't found, or if she was killed. I'm not going to tell you what I've decided to do about that whole situation. I could still use suggestions on what you think I should do. Please tell me what you think. I take all suggestions into consideration. Thank you for reading. The next chapter might be up later. **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: This is a kind of long chapter. Sorry about that. We find out what we're all dying to know in this chapter! Thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites! Your reviews help a lot. I'm always open to suggestions, so please offer them! I hope you enjoy!**

Tony smiled at what she had said. "The team," he whispered and kissed her head. She smiled in her sleep. He would get information out of Grey. Emma didn't deserve what was happening to her. He held her tighter. He felt like if he held her too tight, he would break her. That's how small she was. He stayed there and didn't fall back asleep.

Ziva woke up, feeling for his warmth. She didn't find it. The shower wasn't running and there were no sounds coming from the front of the house. She did, however, hear voices in the guest room. She looked up at the clock. It was four-fifty a.m. She got up to see what was going on. She was about to walk in, then she heard Emma's voice. "There was a monster chasing me. I was running with my family, but one by one the monster at them. Then he ate my other family." Ziva peeked through the space between the door and the wall. "Next, time," Tony said, "you know what you have to do with the monster? You have to be scarier than it. Scare him away. Growl and roar. It always helped my monster dreams." She heard Emma giggle. Then, something unexpected happened. "Emma, who was your other family?"

"The team." Ziva brought her hand up to her mouth to cover the gasp. She smiled when Tony looked at Emma and then said, "The team." He kissed her forehead. Ziva went back down the hallway and sat on the bed. Tears formed in her eyes. She thought back to when her and Tony had to watch the director's children. Tony hesitated before he went in the house. He ended up chasing them around with a pizza box cut into a shark head. She smiled at that memory and laid back down. She couldn't believe everything Tony had done for Emma. She closed her eyes and drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

Tony looked at the clock on the night stand. It was six-thirty. Time to get up. He woke Emma up. She yawned and stretched. She climbed out of bed and went into the living room. Tony walked back to Ziva's room and saw that she wasn't up yet. He climbed on the bed and sat on his knees beside her. He leaned down and kissed her. She opened her eyes. "Its time to get up, ninja." She smiled at him. He got off the bed and went back in the living room. Emma was looking out the back door window. "What do you want for breakfast, Emma?"

"I'm not hungry." Tony looked at her. She didn't stop looking out the window. "You have to eat breakfast. Its the most important meal of the day." He walked over to her and looked out the window. He didn't know what she was looking at. She shook her head. "I just don't feel like eating breakfast. I have days when I'm like that." Tony nodded. If she didn't want breakfast, he wasn't going to make any. He didn't usually eat breakfast, but he could. He went back to the bathroom. "Ziva, Emma doesn't want breakfast. Do you want me to fix you anything?"

"No, I'm okay. But thank you." Tony closed the door. So, this house would not be having breakfast made in it today. He walked back to the living room. Emma hadn't moved. Her arms were crossed and she was staring off into space. "Earth to Emma. What are you thinking so deeply about?"

"Do you think my mommy's still alive?" The question took him completely by surprise. She looked at him with sad eyes. He didn't know what to say to her. He thought long and hard. "I don't know, Emma. I think she is, but I just don't know."

"Thank you for telling the truth. I appreciate that more than you lying and saying she is alive." She looked down at the floor and took a deep, shaky breath. "I don't think she is, Tony. I have an awful feeling that she's dead. I like to think it as she's going to visit daddy and Teddy in Heaven. She'll be having fun." Tony saw tears drop on the floor. He walked over to her. She looked up at him. He squatted down so that he was eye level with her. "Emma, don't talk like that. You can't think negatively. Stay positive. You can't go through life standing on the negative side of things." She looked him in the eye and nodded. He wrapped his good arm around her and hugged her.

* * *

Ziva did her hair again. This time, she french braided it into pig-tails and tied the two together with the ribbon. Emma didn't talk the whole ride. Ziva didn't know what had gone down while she was in the shower. The car was silent.

They walked into the bullpen and Abby came running towards them with a file. She handed it to Tony. "Edward Trenton, that's who the hair belongs to." Tony looked at the file. He looked up at Abby with wide eyes. "Oh, my god. Abby, you're amazing!" She smiled and walked back to her lab. Tony brought the file to Gibbs' desk. He looked at it. "Ziver,"

"Checking phone and credit card records."

"McGee,"

"Tracking his cell,"

"DiNozzo,"

"Pulling up all personal records and files," Tony had trouble typing, but he got everything up he needed to. "Last call was made from..." McGee stopped.

"Made from where, McGee?" Gibbs asked. Tony and Ziva looked at him. "Grey's house. Its going on now. Boss, he's calling-" Tony's phone started ringing. Gibbs looked at McGee. "Us," he finished his sentence. Gibbs walked over to Tony's desk. He nodded to Tony. Tony pushed the speaker button. "DiNozzo."

"Let Grey go, and you can have the woman back," a low voice said. Emma looked up at them. "Why did you take the tags?" Gibbs asked.

"Names, numbers, and proof. The woman said that I didn't have a way to find out the two ex-Marine's numbers. I showed her the tags and she shut right up." Emma was standing by the desk now too. Tony looked at her. Her eyes were wide with terror, but she was taking in every word. "No such thing as an ex-Marine. Why did you need the numbers?" Gibbs asked.

"They will help with the search we're doing."

"What search?" Gibbs asked. He was trying to stall. "We're looking for where the family was held two years ago. The chemicals are still in that lab. We never did finish our research, Agent Gibbs. We only had one test subject and sadly, she got away." The team looked at Emma. She didn't look up. "What were you trying to develop?" Gibbs asked, now suddenly interested.

"Torture methods." Emma gasped and backed away from the desk. She sat down and brought her knees up to her chest. Her eyes were wide, but they had a far away glance in them. Tony got up from his desk and went over to her. He didn't listen to the rest of the conversation. He knelt down in front of her. She was breathing heavily and shaking. "Emma," he put his hand on her shoulder. She swallowed and kept breathing hard. "Emma, are you alright?"

"Yes, Tony! I'm fine and yet I'm sitting here on the floor freaking out! Do ya' think I'm fine?" She yelled at him. He put his hands up defensively. "Sorry, I just thought it would be nice to ask you." He felt bad for her. She heard those two words and she just all of a sudden flipped out. She wasn't having a panic attack, but she wasn't calm. He looked into her eyes. She looked back. She calmed down after a few minutes of staring into his eyes. They didn't look worried, so she was calmed by them. She stopped shaking and brought her knees down. Tony helped her up. She smiled at him. The conversation was over and the whole team looked at her. "I'm good. Sorry 'bout that. Had a flash back. I have good news. I remember where they held us." She looked up at Tony. He gave her a confused look. "Its the abandoned hospital. I have an idea. We go there first, get the chemicals out of there, replace them with harmless things, and then tell whats-his-face the location. He'll turn over my mom and the dog tags." Gibbs smiled at her. She was beginning to think like an agent now. "Thats a good idea, Emma. We'll get right on that. DiNozzo, if this plan doesn't play out, you're still interrogating Grey. Ziver, McGee, you'll come with me."

"What do I do while you're gone, boss?" Tony asked.

"Look for flying lizards," Gibbs said. Ziva laughed. Emma held back a smile. He watched them load up in the elevator. He didn't even look at Emma and said, "Emma Taylor Kelly, you wipe that smirk off your face right now."

"How did you know my full name?"

"Its on your medicine bottle." She crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at him. He swatted it away. She scowled at him. He scowled back. She turned and sat in Ziva's chair. Tony got back to work.

* * *

Emma leapt up and ran to hug her mother. Everything had gone perfectly. They replaced all the chemicals, they told him where the place was, and they said they would let Grey go. They met at the hospital and he handed over Emma's mother and the dog tags. When he was turned around, Ziva put hand cuffs on him. They brought him in and brought Emma's mother as well. They both let out tears of joy. After they had stopped hugging, Emma's mother asked Tony and Ziva if she could have a word with them. They took her into the conference room and sat down. "Yes?" Tony asked after they were settled. Carroll took a deep breath and said, "My job is requiring me to go to Australia for research. I can't take Emma because they don't want me to have any distractions. Is it possible for you to care for her while I'm gone?" Tony's jaw dropped. Ziva just stared at her. "What do you do?" Tony eventually asked.

"I'm a Marine Biologist. They want me to do a study of a newly discovered coral in the Great Barrier Reef. I can't refuse the offer, or I'll lose my job." She had a pleading look in her eye. Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing. "When did you find out about this?" Ziva asked.

"Three months ago. Emma doesn't know I have to go. I was going to tell her, but then all this crap started."

"How long will you be gone and when are you leaving?" Tony asked. She looked down at her lap. "My flight is scheduled in three hours. I'm staying for two years. I can visit, every six months. I know this is hard to believe, but I have to go."

"You just got back. Your daughter thought you were dead. And your leaving her after not even being back for a day? Does anybody else in this room find that crazy? Or is it just me?" Tony was shouting now. Ziva touched his arm to get him to relax. Carroll looked at him. "I don't like it anymore than you, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. My job depends on it, and its not like I could control what happened. Are you doing me the favor or not?" She looked him in the eye. He stared at her for a few moments then said, "Yes, we'll take care of her." Carroll thanked them and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take Emma home and pack her clothes. I'll give you a schedule of her regular doctor's appointments, and the information for her school. I've been meaning to ask, Tony, what happened to your arm?" Tony went into the story and told her what had gone on for the last three days. She thanked him for what he had done, and started towards the door. "Before you go, Carroll, you should know that your house was broken into yesterday. Most of your belongings are ruined. Emma's clothes aren't, but dishes and pictures and a few other things are," Tony informed her. She looked at both of them and nodded. "Trenton told me what he did. I'll call our maid to come clean it up for us. Thank you, for doing this. I know you're upset with me, but I really don't have a choice. I trust you the most with taking care of Emma." Tony nodded and opened the door for her. Carroll and Ziva walked out. "Tony, are you coming?" Ziva asked him.

"Not yet. I don't want to be down there when Carroll tells Emma why they are going home to pack." Ziva walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, careful to not hurt his arm. He wrapped his good arm around her. She pulled back and gave him a light kiss. He took a deep breath and followed her out of the room.

**A/N: I'm doing that because I want Emma to live with Tony and Ziva, but I didn't want the mom to die. I hope that is okay with you guys. Please tell me what you think about this chapter, tell me what you want to see in future chapters, and please, please paaallllleeaaassseeeee tell me if I'm going in the right direction with this story. Thank you for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: So, I apparently overlooked the legal requirements needed for this story to make sense. Thank you, Kastlefan301, for the help. Sorry I haven't been able to post anything. And sorry for how late this is up. I will post two tomorrow. I'll explain why I haven't been able to at the bottom. This is the night when Emma's mother leaves. Something unexpected happens. Thank you for the reviews and such. Please enjoy!**

The final paperwork had been signed and filed. Emma's mother had to reschedule her flight because she had overlooked one thing, she couldn't leave Emma with two people who weren't legal guardians. Tony and Ziva had to become legal guardians. It had been a long three weeks and Tony and Ziva were both stressed. The were driving back from the airport. It was late. The only flight available was the nine o' clock. Emma hadn't said a word to her mother or to either one of them since the day she found out what was going on. She sat in the back seat, frowning. "Emma, you can't stay quiet forever," Tony said. She looked up at him. She gave him a glare and turned to look out the window. Tony sighed and turned back around. He didn't have the sling on anymore, and he would get his cast off tomorrow. He would have to go to therapy for three weeks.

They pulled into the driveway. Tony had stayed at his apartment for the past two weeks. He was stressed because they didn't know the slightest thing about being a parent, much less being the parents of a child with a disease. They knew it was just for two years, but that was still a long time. Emma got out of the car and waited for the door to be unlocked. When it was, she ran through the door. Tony ran after her. "Emma, wait."

"Leave me alone!" She slammed the door before Tony could go in. Tony put his forehead against the door. He heard her sobs through the door. Ziva looked down the hallway from the kitchen. She sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands. Tony walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She put her hand on his. "Tony, I just thought of something."

"What's that?" He heard the worry in her voice. He sat down by her. She looked him in the eyes. They were wide with fear. "Ziva, what's wrong."

"Tony, Emma's disease. She only supposed to have two years to live. What if she-" Ziva stopped and started crying. Tony pulled her close. "Hey, she won't."

"I can hear the doubt in your voice. You are not that convincing." She pulled away from him. He frowned at her. "I just need space, it has been stressful the last few weeks," Ziva said.

"If you need space, its all around you. Just don't take your stress out on me. I'm stressed too, but I'm not taking it out on you," Tony snapped. Ziva looked at him. "I'm sorry, Ziva. I am taking it out on you. I just don't want anything to happen to her." He reached out to touch Ziva. She pulled back. "Don't be a bitch, Ziva."

"I have been called much worse than that," she snapped back. He glared at her. "Like what?" he asked.

"Your girlfriend!" She screamed back. His jaw dropped in shock. "Did you eat bitch flakes this morning or something?"

"No, because you ate them all!" She was having some pretty good comebacks. He turned his head away and took a deep breath. She stormed out the door. He followed. "Ziva! Don't walk away from me!" He screamed.

"Do not shout at me! This is just as hard on me as it is on you. I do not have a clue on how to raise a child!" She was crying now. Tony looked at her. She was sitting on the ground with her knees brought up to her chest. He was angry with her and was about to say something. Then he heard the door open. He turned around to see Emma standing there. She looked pale and she was sweating. "Emma, what's wrong?" Tony asked. Ziva looked up and saw her. She stood up, her legs shaking. Emma looked at them. "What happened between you two?" She asked, clearly struggling to speak. Ziva walked up to Tony. He reached for her hand but she pulled back. "Nothing. Just a little misunderstanding," Tony said. She didn't look convinced. "Emma, are you sure you're okay?" Tony asked.

"Actually, no. I don't feel too good." She coughed, and threw up. She wiped her mouth and looked at Tony. She was about to say something, but her gold eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed. She hit her head on the table that was by the door. Tony ran up to her. He picked her up. "Tony!" Ziva exclaimed. She was looking at the place where Emma had thrown up. He looked down and felt his heart stop. Blood. "I don't know what it is, but sometimes I start throwing up I can't stop. Its mostly blood that I throw up." Tony remembered the words she had said the first time he had met her. "Ziva, we have to get her to the hospital." Ziva ran in to get her keys. Tony laid Emma in the back seat. He thought of something and ran back in. He grabbed Mary off of her bed. He got in the back seat and stroked her hair. "Your going to be okay," he said, even though he knew that she couldn't hear her. Ziva back out of the driveway. Tony buckled up and held Emma tight. He was sure she was going about fifty over the speed limit.

They arrived at the hospital. The car was barely stopped when Tony jumped out of the car. He ran through the doors. "Help! Please, she needs help!" Two nurses and a doctor ran through the double doors. "What happened?" The doctor asked.

"She was just talking and then she threw up blood and collapsed," Tony answered as they took her and laid her down on the stretcher. The doctor opened her eye and shined a light in it. They started rolling the stretcher down the hallway. Tony tried to follow, but the nurse held him back. He watched down the hallway as they turned a corner. He backed up and looked at Ziva. She at him with wide eyes. He walked over to her and she opened her arms for a hug. He hugged her and let out a sob. They stayed like that for a while. When they pulled back, Ziva said, "I think we should call the team. We need them here." He nodded and sat down. He wiped his eyes and let out a sigh. Ziva came back in about ten minutes later. "They are on their way here." She sat down beside him and took his hand. He smiled at her. "I'm sorry about earlier, Ziva. I shouldn't have said any of that. I was just-" Ziva cut him off. "No, I should not have snapped back at you like I did."

"Let's just forget about it. It never even happened," Tony said. She nodded. He gave her hand a light squeeze and brought it up to his mouth. She smiled.

Gibbs was the first to arrive. "How is she?" He asked when he walked in.

"We don't know yet," Tony answered. Gibbs sat down beside Tony. The rest of the team arrived and pretty much asked the same question. Nobody talked much. The doctor walked through the doors. Tony stood up. He held his breath as the doctor prepared to give him the news. The doctor looked at his clip board and sighed. He looked up at Tony with a look that made him take a sharp intake of breath. Tony felt tears building behind his eyes. "Are you the guardian of Emma Kelly?"

"Yes. How is she?" Tony asked. Ziva walked up beside him. The doctor looked at them. "This is always hard to say. I'm sorry, but she has slipped into a coma. We don't think it'll be long until she..." he trailed off. Tony backed away and ran out the door. He had tears streaming down his face.

Gibbs watched Tony run out the door. He followed him. "Hey! DiNozzo?" He yelled. Tony stopped and faced Gibbs. "What happened?"

"She's in a coma, Gibbs. They think she's going to die soon. How the hell am I supposed to deal with this? She's like my daughter. I'll have to tell Carroll what happened." Tony was breathing heavily now. Gibbs looked at him. "If we're talking about the same Emma, then we both know that she won't give up the fight. We don't know what's going on in his head, but I know for a fact that she won't leave us. She is the most determined, and slightly stubborn girl I have ever met. Do you believe me when I say that?" He looked Tony square in the eye. Tony nodded. They walked back to through the door. Tony walked back to the doctor. He nodded at him. Tony followed him through the doors. The walk to her room felt like a lifetime. The doctor stepped aside and Tony took a deep breath. Before he walked in, Ziva grabbed his hand. They walked in together.

Emma had a tube down her throat. She had a breathing machine also. "We did cat scans, and her condition has gotten worse. The infection in her digestive system has spread to her large intestines. It will keep spreading. We still don't have a cure. We've tried all the cures for diseases that are similar, but none of them have worked," the doctor explained. Ziva sat in the chair. Tony stood by her bed and pushed a stray hair away from her face. The doctor checked a few more things before leaving. Ziva saw a tear drop on Emma's face. Tony remembered Mary and took her out of his pocket. He placed her beside Emma. He kissed her forehead and grabbed her hand. He put her small hand between his two large hands. He did something he hadn't done on his own since his mother died. He prayed. When he looked back up, he was crying. He looked at Ziva. She was crying also. They stayed there the rest of the night.

**A/N: This is based on my sister, once again. She slipped into a coma the other night, she collapsed and hit her head really hard on the table. She is responding well, but it gave us all a scare. That's why I haven't been able to post anything. Tell me what you think please. Sorry, I have a short author's note, but I'm tired. The next two chapters should be up tomorrow! Thank you!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thank you for your concern for my sister. The doctors don't think she'll... you know... move on. She isn't showing any signs of getting worse, so thats always good. Anyways... back to this story. This chapter is about the next few days and stuff. Thanks for your follows and favorites and reviews. So, here's the first chapter of the day. Please enjoy!**

Ziva found another chair for Tony. He had been kneeling by Emma's bed, and Ziva knew his knees were starting to hurt. He thanked her and sat down, still keeping her hand in his. He felt like he had been in the hospital too many times in the past three months. Ziva got up to use the restroom. Tony looked at Emma. She looked helpless. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Gibbs. "Hey, boss."

"DiNozzo, I take it you're staying here the whole night?" Tony looked at the clock it was one o' clock a.m. They had gotten there at ten. "Yeah. Just in case she wakes up. And I think the guardians should stay." Gibbs nodded. He sat down in Ziva's chair. He looked at Emma. "Is she in school?" Gibbs asked, trying to make a conversation.

"Yeah, she went yesterday, and her mother brought her things over. That's why Ziva was late. I don't think she'll be going this morning. She goes to a private school, so we'll have to learn the schedule. I think she gets two weeks off in December, a week in January, and some other times too. She'll have to come with us to work, or go to daycare during that time," Tony explained.

"How was she doing before this happened?" Gibbs asked.

"She was angry. She wouldn't say a word to her mother or to me and Ziva. She ran to her room and slammed the door when she got back to Ziva's house. Then Ziva and I were in the front yard and she opened the door. She looked pale and sweaty. Then she said she wasn't feeling well, she coughed, threw up, and collapsed. She hit her head on a table. That mixed in with her passing out, caused her to slip into a coma. If I had just not freaked out when she looked like that, I might have stopped her from hitting her head. Its all my fault."

"Hey! Its not your fault. Its the bastard who did the tests on her." Tony's head shot up. Gibbs looked at him. "What did you just think of, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"How does everyone know when I'm thinking?" He asked. Gibbs laughed. "You think too loud." Tony narrowed his eyes at him. Gibbs leaned back in his chair. "Well, let's hear it."

"The chemicals. We can give them to the doctors, they can find the one that made her sick, and use it to find a cure. Do we still have them?" Tony asked, he was sitting up straight now. Gibbs nodded. "They're in Abby's lab. Do you want to save the doctors the trouble and see if Abby can find the one?" Tony nodded. Gibbs got up and head slapped Tony on the way out. "Okay, what was that for? I didn't even do anything."

"Thats for not having the idea earlier," Gibbs said as he walked out the door. Ziva passed him. "What did I miss?" Tony explained what he had thought of. Her face lit up. "That is a great idea!" She kissed him.

* * *

Tony woke up. He didn't feel the hand grasping back like he had hoped. He looked up slowly and saw that Emma hadn't changed. He let out a sigh. It was six a.m. He let go of her hand and stretched. He looked over at Ziva. She was asleep in the chair. He kissed her head and walked out into the hallway. He went to the nurses station. "Anthony DiNozzo. I have an appointment to get this damn cast off today. Is there anyway I can get it off now?" He was still half asleep. The nurse looked at him and then typed something into the computer. "Nope, sorry Mister DiNozzo. I'm afraid because of the severity of your break, you need the doctor to check it before getting the cast removed."

"Is he here?"

"_She_ doesn't come in until ten. Until then, you will just have to wait." Tony sighed and walked back to the room. His phone rang and he grabbed it before it woke Ziva up. "Yeah, boss?" He answered Gibbs' call. "Abby found it. I'm sending McGee over with it now. He's got four tubes and a file with what they contain. Meet him at the entrance with the doctor." Tony agreed and hung up. He went back to the nurses station and asked for the doctor to meet him at the entrance. They called him. "Mister DiNozzo? This had better be important."

"It is. We have something that can help you with Emma's disease. You know her back story, right?" He asked. The doctor nodded. "Okay, we found the place she was held and retrieved all of the chemicals that had been used. They were using them for torture methods. Our forensic scientist ran tests and found the one that made Emma sick. Another agent is bringing the tubes and files with what they contain over now. Do you think that might help?"

"It will be extremely helpful! Thank you!" He shook Tony's good hand and waited with him for McGee to arrive. When he got there, the doctor called for some people to come take the items to the lab. He thanked Tony one last time and followed them. Tony turned to McGee. He looked tired. "Were you up all night?"

"Yeah. We found a chip in one of the tubes, I had to run tests on it. It contained all of the details on every single tube. It had files on the test subjects. Emma and her father and brother were all tested on. Her brother was given a chemical that made him feel like he was on fire. It pumped through his body. It reached his heart and he eventually died a slow, painful death. Her dad... he was given a neurotoxin that made him have serious hallucinations. He died a slow death also. Emma is the only one who didn't die. Hers didn't spread as seriously."

"Until now," Tony added. McGee nodded. "How is she?" McGee asked. Tony looked down at the floor. "She isn't any better." McGee looked across the room. Tony looked back up. "Um, I should probably get back to work. We've got a lot more things to look at on the chip." McGee walked out the door. Tony turned back around and walked to Emma's room. He grabbed her hand and sat down.

* * *

"Okay, Tony, I'm going to bend your elbow now. Tell me if it huts," Doctor Huff, the Orthopedic Specialist, said. She bent Tony's elbow. He got through that with no pain. "Very good! Now your wrist." She started moving his wrist. He winced when she bent it. He ended up needing a brace for his wrist. "Physical therapy for three weeks. Every Monday and Thursday. Four o' clock. Is that okay with you?" Doctor Huff asked.

"Should be fine," Tony answered. He thanked her and went back to Emma's room. "At least you do not have to wear the cast anymore," Ziva said. He nodded. It was close to noon now. "I'll go get us some lunch," Ziva said. Tony sat down again. He really wanted Emma to wake up. He couldn't stand to see her like this. He would have to go home and change eventually. He rubbed his eyes and leaned back. He hoped the chemicals could help them. He knew Emma would have to wake up before they could do the tests on her. She wouldn't respond otherwise. He looked at her and then around the room. Her feet were out from under the cover. It was kind of cold in here. He got up and pulled the blanket over her feet. He walked over to the window and looked down at the street. He left the curtains open so a little bit of light would come in without the lights having to come on.

Ziva came back with their lunch. They sat quietly and ate. When they were finished, Tony took their trash to the big garbage can in the hallway. He was bored, so he decided to walk around. He came across the nursery. He looked in the window at all of the sleeping newborn babied. Some were in pink, some were in blue. He saw three side by side. they had the letters A-C on them. '_Triplets,' _Tony thought to himself. He smiled. He had an image in his head of a little girl that looked like Ziva, but had his eyes. It was a lovely thought. A little DiNozzo. A man came up beside him. "Which one's yours?" He asked Tony.

"None. I just happened to come across the window." The man nodded. Tony looked at him. "The triplets are mine. Life's gonna get pretty hard. Three babies. Never saw it coming." Tony laughed, so did the man. They both stood there. Tony eventually asked, "What's it like? Knowing that those three tiny people came from you? Knowing that they're yours, forever?"

"Kind of overwhelming. Its nice, though." Tony smiled. He stood there a little longer before going back to Emma's room. He walked in with the thought that maybe one day, he would be standing outside that window, looking at his baby. He smiled at the thought.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up. Busy day. Shout out, once again to hslacer, for the idea of the chemicals coming to help find a cure. Thank you for your wonderful idea. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up later. It all depends. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Great news! My sister woke up! She is going to be okay! This chapter is kind of special. You'll see why. :) This is the second chapter of the day. Thank you for your reviews and follows and favorites. They mean a lot to me. Well, not really much to say, so on with the show. Please enjoy!**

It was the fourth day Emma had been in a coma. Tony had gone home and showered and changed clothes. He would have to go back to work eventually. He didn't like the idea of leaving Emma by herself. They had done the same thing everyday. They sat in her room, occasionally getting up to go to the bathroom, or to walk around. Nurses came in to fix her feeding tube and to check on her condition. Nothing changed, at least for a while.

It was the Monday after Emma had collapsed. Tony came out of physical therapy and went to Emma's room. The doctor came out of the room. "How is she?" Tony asked. The doctor looked at him. "She's beginning to respond. She should be waking up soon." Tony thanked him and went into the room. He called Ziva. "She's supposed to wake up soon. You need to get over here." Ziva agreed and hung up. Tony sat down by her bed. He took her hand. "Emma, I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I just want to let you know that you are the strongest girl I've ever met." He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

Ziva came into the room. She sat down by Tony. "Hey, how was therapy?" She asked him.

"Fine. I think I'll be able to move my wrist again after five more days," he laughed. Suddenly, he felt Emma's hand twitch and he looked up at her. He saw her twist and turn. He stood up and looked at her face. Ziva was on the other side of the bed. Tears of joy built behind Tony's eyes when her hand closed around his. He let out a sob when those beautiful gold eyes opened. He kissed her forehead. "Emma! Oh, my god. I've never been happier to see your beautiful eyes!" Her eyes lightened up. The tube was out of her mouth. She smiled. "How long have I been asleep?" She asked.

"Four days. You really had us scared. We've been by your side the whole time, other than having to go to work," Tony said.

"Why? Wasn't it boring just watching me sleep?" She had a confused look on her face. Tony smiled at her and said, "No. We stayed because of one word. Do you know what that one word was?" Emma shook her head. Tony looked at Ziva and she smiled. "Ohana," they said together. Emma gave them a big smile. "Ohana," she said back.

* * *

"We think we've found a cure. We just have to give her the same thing, but take out the harmful substance. We'll replace it with something to cancel it out. It should work. She'll have to throw up a few more times, but if it stops becoming blood, then we know she's getting better," the doctor was explaining. Tony nodded. He turned to Emma. "Are you up for that?" She nodded. The doctor exited the room. "They said you're well enough to go ahead and try this. It might feel a lot like it did when you first got sick. It won't stay, though. I'll be here with you, so will Ziva," Tony said. Emma was sitting up in the bed. She held Mary close.

The doctor came back in with a tube of clear liquid. He connected it to the machine. He put the needle in Emma's arm. "Ready, Emma?" He asked. She nodded. Tony took her hand. She held it tight. The doctor counted to three and pushed a button. The liquid starting pumping into her arm. "It will travel to the digestive track. Give it a few minutes." He walked out the door and returned with a few bags. Tony looked at them. "What are those?"He asked.

"Bags to collect her vomit. We can run tests on it to see the progress she is making." Emma started to look pale and sweaty. The doctor held the bag for her. She vomited into the bag. Ziva held her hair out of the way. Tony held her hand. This continued the rest of the afternoon.

The doctor came in that night. "Great news, from the tests we ran, it looks like the treatment is going to work. We'll scan her in the morning and see if it has left her system. She's lucky, you know? Most six year olds that go into a coma can't come out. They usually die."

"Luck had nothing to do with it, Doc. She fought," Tony said. Ziva smiled. The doctor nodded and left the room. "I guess its a good thing we don't have a case right now," Ziva said. Tony nodded. They would have to stay with Emma tomorrow. "I think we'll be okay, Ziva. About this whole taking care of Emma thing. We'll manage," Tony said with a smile.

"I think we will too. She should be able to go home by the end of the week, right?" Ziva asked. Tony thought for a minute. "Depends on what happens in the morning," he answered. She nodded. Tony stood up and stretched. Ziva walked up behind him. She wrapped her arms around him. He put his hand on her arm. "I've got to use the bathroom," Tony said. Ziva rested her head on his back. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Tony turned around with lightning speed. "Ziva David, did you just quote the number one movie quote of all time?" His eyes were wide. She smiled. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

"You did." He smiled and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Um, excuse me? I don't mean to interrupt, but is it possible that you can hand me my cup of water?" Emma asked. Tony turned around and smiled at her. He handed her the cup that was by her bed. "There ya' go. Do you need anything else?" He asked. She shook her head and took a sip of water. Tony smiled at Ziva and walked out of the room to the bathroom.

* * *

"Hey, Emma. We brought you something!" Abby exclaimed. The whole team was in the room. She had to stay one more night. The disease was mostly gone. The doctors were surprised at how fast her body had responded. They were relieved, though. Emma's face brightened up when McGee brought in a balloon and flowers. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. McGee handed her the balloon and flowers. She put them on the table by her bed. Abby came over and hugged her. McGee gave her a hug too. This pretty much continued with the whole team. They sat in there a while and laughed and joked around. Emma fell asleep eventually and the team slowly filed out. Tony, Ziva and Gibbs were the last ones. "I told you that she would fight, Tony," Gibbs said.

"I never said she wouldn't," he said back.

"No, but you sure weren't very believing the other night. You gotta start looking at the positive things. The good things that could happen. Not the bad." Tony nodded. Gibbs was right. He did need to look at the positive outcomes. "I'll look at them now, boss," Tony said. Gibbs nodded and eventually got up and left.

"Come on, Tony! I'm ready to go!" Emma yelled as Tony took his time getting the flowers and balloon. He laughed when he saw Emma pouting in the back seat. "Hey, I'm here. I didn't think you wanted me dropping your flowers." She looked at him. He set the flowers in the back seat and gave the balloon to Emma. She thanked him. He sat in the passenger seat. Ziva started the car and they drove home.

They got back to Ziva's house and walked in the door. Ziva had already cleaned up the blood from that night. Tony got Emma's flowers a vase, and tied the balloon to it. "Thank you," Emma said. She put the flowers on the table. It was eleven o' clock in the morning. They were going to stay home the rest of that day. Emma would go to work with them the next day, and then she would go back to school after that. "What are we going to do the rest of the day?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know. What do you want to do, Emma?" Tony asked her. She thought for a minute. "We could play a board game. Do you have any?" She asked.

"No, but we can go get some. I have to go pick something up anyway. Let's go." So, they got back in the car and went to the mall since it had the best place to get games. When they got there, Ziva went to the bathroom. Tony turned to Emma. "I need your help. It has to be fast, okay? Come with me." Tony took her hand and led her to a store. Emma looked around at all of the jewelry in it. Tony led her over to the place with rings. "Which one do you think Ziva would like?" Tony asked her. She looked at them. "Either that one," she pointed to a ring with three diamonds, the middle one was an oval. "Or that one," she pointed to a halo diamond ring. It had smaller diamonds on the band. He chose the second one. "I was hoping you would choose that one," Emma said. Tony smiled. "Thank you very much, Emma. I'm finally taking your advice. You said I shouldn't take any other girl. Now I can't. He put the bag in his pocket. Ziva had been looking for them. "There you are! I was looking everywhere. Where did you go?" Ziva asked. Emma smirked at Tony. "Oh, I just asked to go look at the jewelry. Mommy always takes me to go look when we come here," Emma said.

"Well, I was worried." Tony grabbed her left hand. He couldn't wait to feel a ring the ring on her finger. They walked, hand in hand, to the toy store. Emma chose the game LIFE. Tony played that game once, he didn't remember how to play, but he was sure he could relearn.

* * *

"Okay, I'll start at career. I don't want to go back to college," Tony said. They started playing. When Tony reached the church to get married, he looked at Ziva's plastic car. It was a little ways behind him. He pulled her little pink figure out of its car and put it in his car. "Tony, what are you doing?" She asked. Tony got out of his chair, got down on one knee, and said, "Ziva David, I've been in love since the first day we met. Without you, my life would be dull, and empty of interesting idioms. Will you marry me?" He opened the box that the ring was in. She gasped and brought her hands up to her mouth. Tears formed in her eyes. She nodded. "Yes, I will!" Tony smiled and put the ring on her finger. He got up and kissed her, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in circles. He put her down and hugged her. Emma smiled at them. They were perfect for each other. She knew it. "Emma, is this the "jewelry" you were looking at?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah. I helped pick it out," Emma said. Ziva smiled. "Thank you, Emma." She turned back to Tony. He was giving her that DiNozzo grin. She kissed him again. Tony wasn't going to take any other girl. He was smart according to Emma's advice. He was smart, indeed.

**A/N: I can hear you saying Awwwwwww! And I am too. So, the disease is gone, and Tony and Ziva are getting married! How do you feel about a DiNozzo child? Yes or no? Do you want me to do a chapter on the wedding? I'm asking you so that I can know what I need to work on. I know what you're probably going to say about that first chapter :) Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hey guys! So, this is a short chapter. Sorry bout that. Well, the last chapter was kind of :D I just used the way my boyfriend proposed to me! Yeah, different engagement ring though. My little sister helped him choose if, before she... You know. Anyways, thank you for your reviews and follows and stuff. Please enjoy!**

They continued playing the game. Tony and Ziva were all smiles. Ziva had to play with her own car, but she left her original person in Tony's car. He ended up landing on the space that said 'Baby Girl'. He looked up at Ziva. She smiled. "Well, put the baby girl in the car, Tony." Emma giggled. Tony grabbed a pink peg and put it in the back seat. He raised his eyebrows at Ziva. She smiled at him and looked down at the board. He would address that later. They finished playing. Emma won. When they were finished, it was almost three. Tony got up and stretched. Emma sat down on the couch and turned the TV on. Ziva was finding a place in the hallway closet for the board game. Tony saw the light catch her ring. He walked up behind her. He kissed her neck. He felt her shiver. She turned around to kiss him. "How long were you planning this?" She asked him.

"Planning what? To propose? I had that planned for weeks."

"No, how you proposed. Did you have that planned?"

"Oh, no. It just came to me when I 'Got Married' in LIFE. I don't want to spend my life with anybody else," he wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest. She didn't see how she was so lucky to have him. He could have taken any other woman, and he chose her. Tony was thinking the same thing. She could have said yes when Ray asked her to marry him. He wouldn't have been able to stand that. She meant the world to him. "By the way, what was that look you gave when my little figures decided to have a child?" Tony asked.

"What look?"

"You smiled when I landed on the baby space. Why?"

"Because those were _our_ figures."

"So, your saying that you want to have kids?" Tony asked. She nodded slowly. He looked into her eyes. She smiled. He kissed her. "Let's get this wedding out of the way first," Tony whispered in her ear.

"I agree. I believe you have something to make up to me. I distinctly remember you saying that you would," Ziva looked seductively at him. He felt his heartbeat picking up. "I-I do? Wh-when did I say that?" He couldn't think straight. She was pushing her hands under his t-shirt. "Towards the beginning of the Grey case. McGee called you when we were _this_ close to repeating the night we got together," she purred. He thought for a minute. "Yeah, I remember. I think this time, instead of just sex, I'll actually make love to you. It is more than just sex now. The ring on your finger says that," Tony said, looking into her eyes. '_Oh, God. Those eyes. He is going to kill me with those eyes,'_ Ziva thought to herself. Tony backed her against the wall. "We can't yet, though. We need to wait until Emma is asleep." He kissed her one last time and went into the living room to sit by Emma. Ziva followed.

* * *

"Hey! Thats not fair!" Emma screamed. Tony had the remote where she couldn't reach it. "We've been watching your channel for two hours. Can't we watch something now?" He still had the remote. Emma gave up the fight and crossed her arms. Tony laughed. "We'll watch a movie of your choice tonight. How's that?" She brightened back up. Ziva was in the kitchen cooking. "Whatcha makin', Ziva?" Emma asked, walking over to the kitchen.

"Macaroni and Cheese."

"I love Macaroni and Cheese!" Emma exclaimed. Ziva laughed. Emma looked on the refrigerator and saw a picture of a man and a woman. She had never seen them before. "Who's this?" Emma asked, pointing to the picture. Ziva looked at the picture and smiled. "My parents. My mother died a while ago. My father, he died recently," Ziva said. Emma looked at her. "I'm sorry. Did you have any brothers or sisters?" Emma asked.

"Yes, I had a sister. Her name was Tali`. She died when she was young. I had a brother named Ari. I had to ki- uh, he died a few years ago." Emma looked down at her lap. Ziva had lost everyone in her family. Emma still had her mother. Well, her mother was in Australia, but Emma understood that her job was very important to her and this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She went back over to sit by Tony. "I think I made Ziva upset," she said.

"Why do you say that?"

"I asked her about a picture on the refrigerator and she told me it was her parents. They both died. I asked her if she had a brother or sister. She said her sister, Tali` died young and her brother died a few years ago."

"Did she tell you how her brother died?" Tony asked, suddenly sounding worried. Emma shook her head. "She didn't tell me how any of them died. I just feel like I shouldn't have asked that question."

"Hey, all three of us are in the same boat. I lost my mother when I was a kid. My dad sent me to boarding school. I never really see him much anymore. When I do, I try not to think about all the years he ignored me. I was an only child. It was hard for me to go through that. Its okay, Emma. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you really want to know the answer." She smiled at him. He hugged her.

* * *

"Wow, Ziva. This is really good," Tony said, taking a bite of his macaroni. They had already prayed, like Emma told them they needed to. Tony was happy Ziva went along with it even though she isn't the same religion as Emma. Tony didn't even know what religion he was. He was willing to find out, though. Tony and Ziva were cleaning up after dinner. Emma was going through the movie channels, trying to find a movie. "Here you go, Zee-vah," Tony said.

"You have not stretched my name out like that in forever." He laughed and handed her the now clean plate. She put it in the cabinet. They went and sat on the couch. "Have you found anything good yet, Emma?" Tony asked. She shook her head. They eventually decided on The Avengers. "Have you seen this before, Emma?" She nodded.

"Mommy knows that I won't copy the bad words and fighting, so she lets me watch movies like this."

They watched the movie. After it was over, Emma took her bath. Tony told her another bedtime story. They told her good night and went back to the living room. They waited until they thought Emma was asleep. Tony lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. He closed the door and laid her on the bed. He climbed on top of her. She looked into his eyes. "Ziva, I love you," Tony said, kissing her.

**A/N: Sorry, I don't have time to finish this part. My sister goes into surgery in like an hour. There will be more times when they get together. I promise. Please tell me what you think. Also tell me what you think about a DiNozzo baby in the future and if you want me to do a wedding chapter. Thank you for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Hey guys! So in this chapter, we have Emma give an idea about their wedding. We also have Ziva trying to give Tony another heart attack. I am thankful for the reviews, follows and favorites. You guys are awesome... like seriously! I didn't think anybody would ever read my story, but obviously people have! Anyways, please enjoy!**

"I have an idea for what you should do at your wedding," Emma said. The three were sitting at the table, eating breakfast. Ziva looked at Tony and smiled. Last night had been better than just sex. Tony was gentle and caring. He smiled back. "And what is that, Emma?" Ziva asked, not breaking eye contact with Tony.

"You need to have a half Jewish wedding and half American wedding."

"Why can't we have a full one?" Tony asked. Emma looked down at her cereal. She didn't want to answer. Ziva answered for her. "The lack of um... people who are needed in a Jewish wedding would be a problem. We need two fathers and two mothers. You need a future father-in-law and I need a future mother-in-law. It is a step in the traditional Jewish wedding. So, what were you planning on tying together, Emma?"

"I thought we could do the breaking of the glass thingy, we could have a wedding canopy, and the um... what's it called? Starts with a Y, means togetherness or something? Its when the newly weds spend twenty minutes alone together?" Emma asked Ziva.

"Yichud?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah! And some of the dances. I figured the rest could be American. Like, your dress. I saw a really pretty one. And, well, its just a suggestion." Tony laughed. He looked at Ziva. "I think we can save money on a wedding planner. We have our own personal one right here." She nodded. Her idea actually wasn't bad. They still needed to set a date. They needed enough time to plan everything out, but they didn't want to wait too long. It was October, so Ziva was thinking April. They wanted Emma's mother to attend. She would visit in April for two weeks. She had an idea. "Tony, I was thinking, a date in April. The week Emma's mother comes back, so that we can have our honeymoon and leave Emma with Carroll." Tony thought about what she said. "That is actually a great idea. We didn't want an extremely long honeymoon anyway. I don't think Gibbs will allow it." He reached for her hand. She smiled at him.

* * *

"I don't know what I'm going to wear today!" Emma exclaimed. Tony walked into her room. She had every drawer of the dresser open, and her closet was wide open. Ziva had organized her clothes when her mom dropped them off. Tony looked at all the dresses, jackets and sweatshirts and nice shirts in her closet. Then he closed the top drawer that had her underwear, leggings and socks. He looked in the second drawer, which had t-shirts in it. He closed it. The next drawer had her skirts and shorts. The last drawer had her jeans. "Where do you keep your pajamas?" Tony asked. She pointed to a chest at the end of her bed. "Where do you keep Mary's clothes?"

"I have storage containers under my bed. Do you want a tour of Emma's new room?" Tony looked at the clock. It was seven o' clock. "I guess we have time." She smiled and took his hand. "Okay, you know what's in my dresser, the chest at the end of my bed, and where Mary's clothes are. In the drawer of my night stand, we have a mystery box and a jewelry box." She put both boxes on her bed, which wasn't made up yet. Tony took care of that while she was deciding what to show him next. "On the top shelf in my closet, I have a box with scarves and gloves and hats. For when it gets cold. On the second shelf, I have some books. I can't read very good, but I still have them. I have coloring books and crayons too. The third shelf is where it gets fun. I have my movies. Mostly Disney movies. On the bottom shelf, I have a box with all my toys. I didn't bring all of them because I have too many. I have my shoes on the floor. Well, thats basically it. I have my table over there. I like to have tea parties, like most six year old girls. You'll have to join me one day."

"Maybe I will."

"No, there's no maybe. You'll _have_ to join me one day." She frowned up at him. He put his hands up in defense. "Yes ma'am." She smiled. Ziva was still in the shower. "Okay, let's see what we can do about this outfit problem. It's supposed to be cool, but not cold today. How about these jeans," he pulled out a pair of blue jeans. "And this shirt," he grabbed an orange shirt with white stripes. She smiled. "I think that will work," she said. She took the two and laid them on her bed. "Now what shoes?" She looked at her many pairs of shoes. Tony knelt down and chose a pair of Sperrys. He looked at her. She nodded. He walked out the door. When he opened the door to their room, Ziva was putting her shoes on. "I just got a tour of Emma's room. Quite an adventure." She smiled at him. Tony could see it was a forced smile. "What's wrong?" He walked over to her. She looked at her ring. "What is Gibbs going to say to this? Do you think that he will make us be on separate teams?" She looked up at him. He sat down beside her. "We don't have to tell him yet." He took her hand. She smiled and nodded. Tony looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty. "Shit, I need to get in the shower. Emma should be dressed already. All she needs is for you to work your hair magic." He got up and walked into the bathroom. Ziva followed. She grabbed a few things from a drawer. He didn't see what they were.

Ziva walked into Emma's room. She was wearing a orange and white shirt with blue jeans. She had socks on, but she didn't have her shoes on yet. Ziva walked over to her bed. She was looking in a plain brown box. "What are you looking at?" She asked, sitting down beside her. Inside the box was a picture of two men, they looked like her in some ways. It was taped to the top. On the bottom, there were her brother's dog tags. Also, her father's. There were other things as well. A letter, a guitar pick, and a ring. "What is this?" Ziva asked.

"My box. That's my brother and daddy while they were in the Marines. This is the last letter my brother wrote to me. He always wrote me letters. He wrote this one while we were in the old hospital. I kept it in my pocket. The guitar pick was my daddy's. He played the guitar. I have my brother's class ring. He wanted me to keep it. I miss them a lot." Ziva saw a tear run down her face. Emma wiped it away and closed the box. "Can I have my hair braided? Just one. Regular, please." Ziva nodded and started brushing her hair. She braided it and tied the rubber band around it. She put the brush back down on her night stand. "Thank you, Ziva," Emma said. She grabbed Mary and her backpack. "You're not going to school today, Emma," Tony said. He was standing in the doorway, buttoning up his green shirt. She looked at him and nodded. "I know. I just thought I could bring something to do." She unzipped it and put a coloring book and crayons in there. She already had a notebook and pencils. She put Mary in the bag and put her shoes on.

* * *

"Grab your gear! Dead Naval Officer!" Gibbs yelled at them. Tony sighed and grabbed his gear. Ziva did the same. "I'll be down in Abby's lab," Emma said. She grabbed her backpack and headed towards the elevator. McGee tripped over his desk and stumbled to the edge of the bullpen. "Be careful, McClumsy," Tony said. McGee gave him a glare. Tony laughed and walked to the elevator. Emma got off and went to Abby's lab. The rest of the team went to the cars. They all took one car. McGee was getting in the front seat, but Gibbs said, "Nope, Ziver, you get in the front. I don't trust DiNozzo enough for you two to sit in the back." Ziva chuckled and sat in the front. She saw Gibbs look down. She hid her hand just in case.

"DiNozzo! Stop flirting and get your ass over here!" He yelled at Tony. He was talking to Ziva while they grabbed what they needed for the crime scene. He kissed her forehead and ran over to Gibbs. Ziva followed behind. She looked over her shoulder and saw a suspicious man lurking around the crowd that had gathered. She walked over to Gibbs. "Gibbs, man in the blue hat. Five o' clock," she said, walking over to look at whatever he was looking at. They were outside a store. The officer appeared to have been stabbed to death. Gibbs nodded and stood up. He went to talk to a witness. He glanced to where Ziva had said. She was right. Something about him didn't settle well. The description of a man who was seen with their dead Naval Officer fit him. He called Ziva over. The man saw them and started running. Ziva, following her instincts, ran after him. She broke through the crowd and saw the man cut down an alley. She followed. He looked around and saw her gaining. He knocked a garbage can in the path. Ziva jumped over it. He ran towards a ladder on the wall. He jumped and grabbed it. He started climbing towards the roof. Ziva jumped and climbed after him. She reached for his foot. He lifted his leg and brought his foot down. Ziva almost fell off the ladder. Her nose was bleeding, but she knew it wasn't broken. She kept following him. He ran across the roof. He stopped at the edge. Ziva came up behind him. He turned around and pulled out a gun. She froze. _'God, another gun pointed at my head. That is three!'_ She stood still for a couple of seconds. She looked down over the edge of the building. She smiled. _'This is going to hurt, but not as bad as landing on the actual ground would.' _She bent her knees and charged at him. She tackled him and sent them over the edge of the building. She heard somebody yell her name before she hit him. They landed on a pile of mattresses. It knocked the air out of both of them. She got up and handcuffed him. Gibbs came around the corner and got the guy off of the mattresses. She looked up to see Tony looking over the edge of the building. "I am fine, Tony," she yelled up at him. He turned around and went back across the top of the building. "Ziver, don't _ever_ do something that stupid again," Gibbs said. He was glaring at her. She was still trying to catch her breath. "Go see what Ducky can do about you nose."

"I am fine. It will stop in a few minutes." Tony came around the corner. He walked up to her. "Why the hell do you insist on giving me heart attacks?" He looked at her. She avoided his eyes. "I did not just blindly tackle the man. I saw the mattresses. It was a single story building. I knew it would not hurt us... much." He shook his head. Ziva walked with him back to the crime scene. Ducky had just loaded the body. "Hi, Ducky. Can you do something about this?" Ziva asked, motioning towards her nose. Ducky looked at it. "Just hold your head back and it should stop bleeding. What did you do?"

"It is a long story." Tony looked at her. He went back to the crime scene. She sat on the hood of the car and held her head back for about ten minutes. She brought her head back down and was greeted with Tony. He had a wet paper towel in his hand. "Here, let me see." He wiped the dry blood from her mouth and nose. It was on her shirt as well. "Do you have an extra shirt?" He asked. She nodded. He pushed a strand of hair from her face. "Please warn me before you do something like that again."

"I will," she said. Tony smiled and kissed her. Gibbs came around the car. He stood beside them. He head slapped both of them. They pulled back and looked at him. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked. They shook their heads. "Then stop making out and get back to work." Tony helped Ziva down and they walked back. Gibbs saw something in Ziva's finger. He tried to get a better look. He shook his head and followed them.

**A/N: I've actually jumped off of a building on to mattresses. It did hurt, but not much. Why, you might ask? I lost a bet. Its a long, long story. Well, Gibbs saw something on her finger? Maybe he was just seeing things... he's bound to find out. I hope those two know that. Please tell me what you think. I still need more answers on if you want a wedding chapter and a DiNozzo child. I think you do, but just to be certain. Well, that's all I gots to say. Thank you for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Hey guys! So, this is a longer chapter than yesterday's. Gibbs figures it out... How will he react? We also have a Ziva and Gibbs father/daughter conversation. Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites. I appreciate them! Well, I think that's about it. Please enjoy!**

"Wait. So you tackled somebody over the side of a building. How is that smart? What if you had missed the mattresses?" Emma asked at the end of the story.

"That's what I was wondering," Tony said. Ziva rolled her eyes at him. "I knew I would not miss the mattresses." Emma gave her a doubtful look. She knelt down beside Emma. "You have blood on your shirt. I don't believe that you were one-hundred percent careful. What did you do?" Emma looked at the blood on Ziva's shirt. Ziva smiled at her. "The man we were chasing kicked me. I was underneath him on a ladder." Tony sat down on the floor beside Emma. She looked at his hand. "By the way, why aren't you wearing your brace?"

"I don't need it anymore. After the first day of therapy, it felt a lot better. So, the therapist said I didn't have to wear it anymore," Tony said.

"We should probably be getting back up," Ziva said. Tony nodded. "Come on, Emma." They headed back up to the bullpen. Tony sat down at his desk and starting pulling up information on their dead Naval Officer. Ziva came out into the bullpen a few minutes later. She was wearing Tony's NCIS sweatshirt. "Um, I thought you said you had another shirt," Tony said.

"I do. But I didn't want to put it on. Your sweatshirt was still in my locker from the other day when we went to the gym. You left it in there because you didn't need it and my locker was still open." He thought back for a minute. She sat down at her desk. "Now I remember." He smiled at her. Tony went back to work. McGee was at his desk. "Pretty focused there, McGeek. What're you working on?"

"The phone that was on our suspect, Tyler Dawson, was wiped clean of all calls, texts and everything. I'm trying to recover them. It had calls made, but I can't tell who they were from or to. I might have to take it down to Abby." Gibbs came into the bullpen. Tony stood up. "Private James Fredric, he just came back from a six month deployment. Married, no kids. His wife is being brought in sometime today."

"He had a clean record, other than a fight with Tyler Dawson on his last deployment. Fredric tried to turn Dawson in for taking drugs. Dawson assaulted him and the two were stopped before any real damage could be done," Ziva said. Tony pulled up the pictures McGee had taken at the crime scene. Gibbs took a sip of his coffee. "Abby got a match on the tire tracks we found. The SUV belongs to, none other than, Tyler Dawson. We also found his footprints around the body. Ducky found the tip of a knife in one of the victim's wounds. Abby is running test on it now," McGee said. Emma stood up to get a paperclip from Ziva's desk. She looked up at the screen. She frowned. She saw something in one of the pictures. "What's that?" She asked, pointing to the picture of the car that Fredric was by. The team looked at the picture. "Its his car," Tony said.

"No shit, Sherlock," Gibbs said. McGee pulled the picture up. Emma pointed to the window. "It says something. There are words. I don't know what they say, but it says something." McGee, Tony and Ziva tilted their heads. Gibbs shook his head. "McGee, send that down to Abby. See if she can find out what it says. Good job, Emma." She smiled and looked at Tony. "Gosh, DiNozzo. Get your stuff together. You should've seen that." He narrowed his eyes at her. She smiled and sat back down. Ziva walked up to him. "Yeah, DiNozzo. Get it together."

* * *

"Ziver, come with me. We're going to search Dawson's house." Ziva grabbed her gear. They got in the elevator. "I swear if you do anything stupid..." Gibbs said. He looked at the hand that was on her backpack strap. He thought he saw a ring. Before he could confirm that, she moved her hand. He convinced himself that he was imagining things. They got into the cars. "I will not do anything stupid. Why do you and Tony freak out when I do my job?"

"Your job isn't throwing yourself over the edge of a building, or taking a gun into interrogation. Even if the gun didn't have a mag in it, it still scared the shit out of both me and DiNozzo. I'm sure Emma and McGee were scared too."

"I would not have done those things if I did not have a plan. I knew Grey would take my gun if he got the chance. I knew we would land on the mattresses."

"Yeah, but what if you hadn't? Dawson wouldn't have been the only one who was hurt. We care about you. That's why we worry so much when you do things like that." She sighed. Gibbs looked over at her. "I know you care about me. I just don't want any more family getting hurt. That is why I take action as soon as I can. Emma was being hurt by Grey. Dawson was too close to let him get away. I am sorry."

"Hey, you know the rule. Never say you're sorry. Its a sign of weakness." He reached over and head slapped her. She smiled. "So, what was the scene you and DiNozzo made this morning?"

"What scene?"

"You were making out when you were supposed to be working. And you weren't just kissing, I saw tongue and he wasn't exactly watching where his hands went. You were behaving, but he wasn't." Ziva hit his arm. He laughed. "Gibbs! Tongue was not involved in the- actually, yes it was, but his hands were on my back. He was behaving... as much as Anthony DiNozzo can." Gibbs just smirked.

They got to Dawson's house and tried the front door. It was locked. Ziva took care of that in a matter of seconds. Gibbs opened the door. They went through the house. "Clear!" Ziva shouted.

"Clear!" Gibbs put his gun away. Ziva came into the room. They searched through the house. "McGee can go through the laptop. Bag it," Gibbs said. Ziva picked up the laptop and put it in a bag. They collected several other items. Ziva pulled a box from under the bed. Inside were notes. She couldn't make sense of them. "Gibbs, look at this." She pulled out a notebook.

"What the hell is it?" Gibbs asked, trying to make sense of them.

"If I knew would I be keeping it from you?" She said in a 'Duh' sort of way. He looked at her and put the notebook back in the box. "Take the box to Abby when we get back." She nodded. They loaded everything in the back of the car. They went back in the house to grab the last of the evidence. They heard something in the back of the house. Ziva pulled out her gun and started walking back. Gibbs put his arm up to stop her. He shook his head and went first. They checked every room. Only one was left. Gibbs nodded. Ziva turned the knob. Gibbs went in first. "Federal agents!" Gibbs shouted. A man pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. Ziva came up beside him. "Drop your weapon," she said. The man turned the gun on her. _'Well, there is four guns in the past month.'_ She thought to herself. Gibbs stepped closer. The gun was pointed at him. Gibbs looked over at Ziva. Then, he saw it. He hadn't been seeing things. She had an engagement ring on her left hand. He looked at it, then turned his focus back to the man. "You can shoot one of us, but if you do, you're dead," Gibbs never broke eye contact with him. The man dropped the weapon and put his hands up. Ziva went to put the hand cuffs on him, but Gibbs stopped her. "What's your name?" He asked the man.

"Julius."

"Well, Julius, what are you doing here?"

"This is my brother's house. I was trying to get something of mine. I left my phone here. I saw your car, so I came in the back door when you were outside." Ziva looked at Gibbs. He tilted his head and continued talking. "Why did you point a gun at us?"

"I was scared. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't even know how to fire it. Please don't arrest me." He was crying now. Gibbs walked up to him. "I'm going to need you to come into NCIS for questioning. Can you manage that?" Julius nodded. They walked out to the car.

* * *

Julius was escorted to the conference room. Ziva sat down at her desk. Gibbs sat down. "Where's DiNozzo?" He asked McGee.

"Questioning Private Fredric's wife." Tell him when he gets back that he needs to come see me. I'll be down with Ducky, or Abby. Ziver, you come with him." Gibbs stood up and went to the elevator. Emma was sitting at Tony's desk. She looked up at Ziva. "What'd you do?" She asked. Ziva shrugged her shoulders. McGee's computer started beeping. He got up and ran to the stairs. "What got into him?" Ziva asked.

"Caf-Pow. He fell asleep, so Abby gave him her drink. He had been hyper all freakin' day," Emma said. Ziva laughed. Then she remembered the laptop she put in her bag. "Stay here. I have to run this to Abby." She stood up and went down to Abby's lab. When she got down there, McGee and Abby were kissing. She walked in on her tiptoes and put the laptop down. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote what the laptop was from. She was about to walk out. Gibbs walked in and stood there. He looked over at Ziva. She had her head propped up on her hands. She was leaning on the table. He walked over to stand by her. "Are they done yet?" He whispered in her ear.

"I do not know the last time you kissed somebody like that, but it tends to last a while," Ziva whispered back. He smiled and stood up straight. He crossed his arms. Emma came skipping in. She stopped dead in her tracks and her jaw dropped. She looked at Ziva. Ziva motioned for her to come over. She walked over to Ziva. Abby's computer beeped and they pulled back. McGee looked over Abby's shoulder. His face turned red. Emma covered her mouth to quiet the laugh. Abby turned around. "Ho-how long have you been there?" McGee asked.

"Long enough to see you two are like, so... together," Emma said. Gibbs raised his eyebrows at them. "What did you find?" He asked.

"A match on the knife. It was an eight inch blade, it had rust on it, so a little more painful-," Gibbs cut her off.

"Do you know who the knife belonged to?"

"No. What's that?" Abby asked, pointing to the laptop. Emma looked at the laptop. "Its a lap top, Abby."

"Well, I know that, Emma."

"Did you find anything else?" Gibbs asked. Abby pulled up the pictures of the words Emma had seen. "The words you found, they say, 'Watch your back.' I'm trying to figure out if they mean this literally or if they are giving us a sign." Emma looked up at the picture. She frowned. "They mean something was in the building that was behind us. It was reflected from the windows of this building," she pointed to a building with a large window. "So, just find where it came from. Look there, then in the building that was behind us." Tony walked in. He smiled. "Emma left a note on my desk that said you needed to see me."

"Yeah, my office." He walked to the elevator. Ziva and Tony followed.

**A/N: Umm... McGee and Abby? They're gonan be in trouble! Not really. McGee with Caf-Pow? Oh crap. Emma and her close observation. Well, tell me what you think, what I need to work on, and if my story is still any good. Thank you for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Hey guys! Since I'm getting this up so early, I might find time to get another one up. Would you like that? Just tell me if you would, please. So, this is Gibbs asking them about their engagement. Also, we address McGee and Abby's togetherness. Thank you for all your awesome reviews. I love to hear what you think about my story! Anyways, please enjoy!**

The doors closed. Gibbs flipped the switch. "So, would you care to explain this?" He grabbed Ziva's left hand. She tried to pull away. Gibbs eventually won. He showed Tony the ring. "Its obviously her hand," Tony said.

"Not her hand, DiNozzo. The ring. Were you planning on telling me?"

"Yes, we were. I did not want to tell you this morning, the car ride was used to discuss other things, and I just walked in on McGee and Abby making out. I have not exactly had the time to tell you," Ziva said. She tried to pull her hand away. Gibbs still had a firm grip on it. "McGee abd Abby were making out?" Tony asked. Ziva stomped on his foot. He muffled a scream. "I mean, I wasn't going to tell you while we are at work. I wanted to focus on actual work."

"That's not what you were doing this morning. First you were flirting, then you were making out. Yeah, really focused on work." Gibbs let Ziva's hand drop. He flipped the switch. Ziva reached across and flipped it back off. "It happened yesterday. We were going to tell you today. It just slipped my mind to tell you."

"It slipped your mind? How does it slip your mind, Ziva?" Gibbs barked. She glared at him. "Let me see, we had a crime scene thrown on us the minute we sat down this morning. I had to chase someone up a ladder and got kicked in the nose. I tackled a person, safely, over the edge of a building. I got yelled at by both of you for taking down the suspect my own way. Then, we got yelled out for showing a little compassion. I had to go search the suspect's house. Then, for the fourth time in about two months, I had a gun pointed at me. That was twice just today. I get back and walk down here to find Abby and McGee attacking each other's faces. I have had a lot of reasons for it to slip my mind." She was less than a few inches from him. He took a deep breath. Gibbs whispered something in Ziva's ear. He kissed her forehead. She hugged him. When she pulled back, Tony said, "Okay, my turn?" Gibbs shook his head and laughed. He flipped the switch again. "Hey! That's enough. I saw plenty with McGee and Abby." Tony and Ziva pulled back from their kiss. Tony looked at Gibbs. He put up his finger and mouthed the words, 'One more second'. Gibbs nodded. He smiled and went back to kissing her. The elevator stopped back at Abby's lab. Tony stepped out of the elevator first. He pulled McGee by the ear to the other side of the room. "What the hell, Probie. What about you and Delilah?"

"I broke up with her."

"Why?"

"Abby kissed me on accident the other day. It was a quick peck on the lips, but then it escalated quickly. I kissed her back, but it was more than a kiss. Then, this happened and that happened, and I fell in love with Abby. Well, I was already in love with her, but I knew I couldn't deny it anymore," McGee was staring at Abby. Tony snapped his fingers and McGee looked at him. "This and that? Do you mean like, _this _and_ that?" _Tony was smiling. McGee shook his head. "No, I mean we just kissed." Tony's smiled faded. "You are absolutely no fun. None what so ever."

"Have you and Ziva?" Tony smirked and turned around. Ziva was talking to Abby.

Ziva pulled Abby to the side. "When did that happen? I thought friends told each other these things." Abby smiled at Ziva. "Like yesterday. What did Gibbs have to talk to you about?" Ziva smiled and put her finger up to her lips. Abby pulled her fingers across her lips like a zipper. Ziva smiled. She showed Abby the ring. Abby's eyes widened. "Oh, my god. That is beautiful! When? Where? How?"

"Yesterday. My house. Um, we were playing LIFE with Emma, and when his figure reached the 'Get Married' square, he took my little figure out of the car and put it in his. Then he got down on one knee and gave a speech. Emma helped him choose the ring."

"That's so sweet!" Abby yelled. Ziva gave her a warning look. She went back to her computer screen. The rest of the team headed up to the bullpen. They were in the elevator. Nobody was talking. Emma eventually spoke up, "Soooooo... how bout them... yeah, I got nothin'. Sports aren't really my "thing". Do you think woodpeckers get headaches?" Tony and Ziva looked down at her. She blinked a couple of times. "That was random," Tony said. She nodded. They stepped off the elevator. Tony was stepping out when Gibbs pulled him back into the elevator. "We just got out of your office, Gibbs."

"You know Vance won't be too thrilled about this, right?" Gibbs asked him. Tony nodded. "I know. We're thinking about setting the date in April. Emma's mother will be back. Do you think we'll get at least a few days for our honeymoon?" Tony asked, changing the subject. Gibbs looked at him. "DiNozzo, I swear that if you leave with one person and come back with two, it won't be pretty."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked. Gibbs raised his eyebrows. Tony finally got the message. "Boss, come on. What are honeymoons for?" He smiled. Gibbs turned around. They stepped out of the elevator and walked to the bullpen. Tony smiled at Ziva when he looked at her. Emma stood up and walked over to McGee's desk. He was leaning back in his chair, waiting for his computer to find a match on something. Emma turned his chair so that she was facing him. "McGee, if you hurt Abby, I will hurt you. If you run, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth. Even if it takes my whole life. Are we clear?" McGee looked at her with wide eyes. He nodded. She smiled and patted him on the head. She skipped over to sit on the floor behind Ziva's desk. McGee looked over at Tony. He was holding back a smile. "Remind me to stay on your good side, Emma," Tony said. Emma smiled at him.

* * *

"Gibbs, I have therapy today. Can I go? I'll come back after." Gibbs nodded. Tony grabbed his things and went to the elevator. Emma stood up and took her things over to Tony's desk. She looked at the pictures he had pinned on the walls. She looked in his top drawer and saw the picture of the team she had drawn. She took it out and grabbed a marker. She looked at her attempts on drawing the team. They were stick people, but she made sure they had things that made them look like the real people. Gibbs in the picture had gray hair and blue eyes. Tony had brown hair and green eyes. She put a grin on his face. Ziva had long, curly hair and light brown eyes. McGee was looking at a computer. Abby had black hair that was in pigtails and was wearing a dog collar. Vance had dark skin and she even put a toothpick in his mouth. Palmer had glasses and was by Ducky, who was wearing his bow tie. Gibbs was behind her. "Someone's missing from that picture, Emma," he said. She looked up at him. "Who?" Emma asked.

"You." Gibbs sat back down at his desk. She smiled. She added a short figure. She put brown hair and gold eyes. She grabbed the stapler from Tony's desk and stapled it to the wall behind Tony's desk. Ziva looked across at the picture. At the top, Emma had put Ohana. "That looks very nice, Emma," Ziva said. Emma sat down and nodded. She turned back around and started working on something in her notebook. "What are you working on, Emma?" Ziva asked.

"Last thing I remember in school was we were working on addition. I stink at math. I mean why do we even bother with it? Nobody wants to solve its problems." Ziva laughed. Emma eventually closed the notebook and leaned back in Tony's chair. She started humming a song. She eventually started singing. Ziva didn't know the song, but Emma had a beautiful voice. "Wow, Emma. That was... pretty good. Actually, that was really good," McGee said. She smiled. "Thank you. My daddy let me sing with him whenever he was home. I've always loved to sing. I'm going to play the drums in my school band when I get to sixth grade."

"Do you have your whole life planned out?" Ziva asked. Emma nodded. "You know what I want to do by sixth grade. When I grow up, I want to either be a marine, like my daddy and brother, or a singer, or I want to be a federal agent. If none of those work out, I want to be a vet," she explained. Gibbs smiled. "I think you'll be great at whatever you decide to do."

**A/N: I based the singing on my sister. She has an amazing voice. But you don't want to hear about my personal life. So, Emma will murder McGee if he hurts Abby. That's always lovely. Emma doesn't want to solve math's problems... :) I don't blame her. And I still say nobody wants to find algebra's x. Gosh... Please tell me what you think about this chapter! Tell me if you have any suggestions, and if you're still enjoying my story. Thank you for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: You are probably going to hate me for having this up at this time... I'm sorry. I had like five cups of coffee and I was bored. Please don't hate me. **

**Thank you for your reviews, follows, and favorites! I love all of you! If I could give you an Abby hug, I would. Trust me. I don't have a lot to say, because I don't have hints about what's in this chapter. Well, please enjoy!**

Tony came back in the bullpen. Gibbs looked up and then he looked back down. "Damn it!" He stood up and walked up to Vance's office.

"How do ya' manage to make Gibbs angry by just lookin' at him? I think you're the only one who can do that," Emma said. Tony pulled his chair out from behind his desk. He rolled it to the elevator and pushed it in. He sent her down to Abby's lab. He came back and stopped. "Um, Tony? I am not a genius, but your plan had a flaw. Now you do not have a chair," Ziva said.

"Thank you, captain obvious."

"Who is Captain Obvious and why are you thanking him?" Ziva asked. She was serious. McGee looked at her. "Its an expression, Ziva. It means you were stating the obvious," McGee said. Ziva nodded and looked back at Tony. "How do you manage to make Gibbs angry. You have not been back for five minutes."

"I didn't make him angry. He was already pissed off when I walked in. I could feel his vibe. I can tell when he's angry. When he left, it went away. So if it comes back, so will he." Ziva held back a smile. Tony's eyes got wide. "He's behind me, isn't he?" Ziva nodded. Tony turned around. "Vibe, DiNozzo? You know what I can tell about you?"

"What?" Tony asked. Gibbs head slapped him. "That you don't think things through. Where's your chair?" Tony opened his mouth to answer. Gibbs put his hand up. The elevator opened and Emma came to give Tony's chair back. "Thanks, Emma," he said.

"You're welcome." He put the chair back behind his desk. Tony looked back up at Gibbs. "I thought you were going up to the director's office."

"He isn't here." Abby came into the bullpen. "Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" She exclaimed.

"What, Abby?"

"Jeez, what the hell's wrong with you?" Abby asked. Gibbs let out a heavy breath. "I found out where the words were reflected from. They came from the top of this building," Abby pointed to a building on the area view picture she had on her iPad. Gibbs told her good work and said, "Take Emma down to your lab. McGee, you're with me. DiNozzo, you and Ziva go to the building the words were referring to."

"Can you trust 'em Gibbs?" Emma asked. "We already can't when they go on break or something." Tony stood up. She ran to the stairs, he chased her. She jumped the last three stairs. Tony, who had a lot longer legs, jumped the last five. Emma was a lot smarter. She ran to Abby's lab and slid on her knees under the table. Tony went around the table. Emma was already running back out the door. He took the elevator. Emma laughed and turned back to go down to Abby's lab. It felt good to be able to run without worrying that she would start throwing up. She went to Abby's office and called Gibbs desk. "Nice going, Emma," Gibbs answered. She laughed. "Yeah, sorry bout that. They don't do anything on their break, by the way."

"I know," Gibbs said. He hung up the phone. Tony came back into the bullpen. He looked around. "She outsmarted me, didn't she?" McGee nodded. Tony grabbed his things and followed them to the elevator. Tony slipped through the doors before they closed. "So, how did she escape?" McGee asked.

"Well, she had a head start, so that had something to do with it. She ran into Abby's lab and slid on her knees under the table. I went around, but she was already running back out the door. I took the elevator and she went back down to the lab. So, remind me to never play hide-and-seek with her."

"She slid under the table?" Ziva asked. Tony nodded. "She's not that tall, it was probably easy," Tony said. They went to the cars. Before Tony got in, Gibbs stopped him. "When we get back, you two need to tell Vance."

"We will. Do you think he'll make us be on separate teams?" Tony asked.

"I won't allow it. There is no way in hell I am starting over with a new team member." Tony smiled. He got in the car. "Talk about a long Thursday. Gibbs said we have to tell Vance when we get back. That should go well." Ziva sighed. She pulled Tony's sweatshirt off to reveal her extra shirt. She pulled the NCIS jacket over her head. Tony did the same. "It will go well," Ziva said. She was trying to sound optimistic. Tony smiled and took her hand. He started the car and followed Gibbs.

* * *

"What exactly are we looking for?" Ziva asked, pulling her hair up. She put her hat on. They were staring at the building they were about to go in. It was an abandoned, one story building. "I don't know. We obviously needed to watch our back." Ziva straightened Tony's hat. They walked to the building. "I'll take the back," Tony said. He walked around to the back. Ziva looked at the lock on the door. It was broken. She pushed the door. It opened. She took a deep breath and stepped in. She searched the front rooms. "Clear!" Tony yelled from the back.

"Clear!" Ziva yelled, putting her gun back. Tony walked in. "Okay, we need to look for anything that might be connected to the case." He put gloves on. Ziva put hers on. They started looking through the piles of things on the floor. "I don't see anything. Do you?" Tony asked. They had gone through everything in the building. Ziva didn't answer. He stood up and walked to the last room. She was looking at the pictures on the wall. Tony stood beside her and looked at them. On the walls were pictures of Gibbs, McGee, and the two of them. "Ziva, what is this about?" She handed him a notebook. He opened to the first page. It had five colors on it. "The picture with red tape is the first person we kill. Blue is next. Green is last." Tony read the notebook. He looked up at the wall. McGee had green tape. Gibbs had green. Ziva and he had blue. "I don't see anybody in red." Ziva looked around the room. She let out a scream and covered her mouth. Tony turned to see what she was looking at. He stared at the picture on the wall. He couldn't breath. He couldn't think. He couldn't move. He turned to Ziva. She was holding back tears and he could see it. Ziva removed her hands from her mouth and leaned against Tony. He wrapped his arms around her. "We cannot let that happen, Tony! We do not even know who these people are! What are we going to do?" Ziva asked.

"We aren't going to stand around and let them do this." Gibbs and McGee walked in the building. They found the room Tony and Ziva were in. "What the hell are you two-," Gibbs stopped and looked at the pictures. Tony handed him the notebook. McGee read over Gibbs' shoulder. They looked up at the pictures on the wall. "Where is the red?" McGee asked. Gibbs turned to look at the one picture in red. McGee's jaw dropped. Ziva let out another sob. Gibbs looked away. They had their backs turned to the door. They didn't hear the person come in. "Interesting, isn't it?" The man said. All four of them pulled out their guns and pointed them at the man. "Who the hell are you?" Gibbs asked. The man looked at their guns. He stood, leaning against the door frame. "I think, that this is the perfect order. Don't you?" He was smirking. He looked up at the pictures. "She's a beautiful little girl. What's her name? Emily? Anna? Fa-" Tony stepped closer to the man. "Her name... is Emma. Why the hell do you want to kill us?" Tony aimed the gun at the man's head. The man chuckled. "_I _don't want to kill you. My brother on the other hand, he's your problem."

"Who's your brother?" Gibbs asked.

"Julius Dawson. I'm Will Dawson. I just came to see what my brother spends all his time on when he comes here."

"Julius. Ziva, he's at NCIS. He can get to Emma easily," Gibbs said. Ziva's eyes widened. She charged Will Dawson and knocked him to the floor. She cuffed him and went out to the car. Tony followed. They got in the car, Ziva driving, and were on their way back to NCIS. Tony's phone rang. He answered. "Tony! There's this man in Abby's lab! He has a knife. We're in her office with the doors locked. He said he wanted to kill me!" Tony's stomach dropped. He looked at Ziva she started driving faster. "Okay, Emma, stay on the line. Me and Ziva are almost there. Don't hang up, okay?" Tony said, trying to sound calm. He heard Emma crying. "Give the phone to Abby," Tony said. Abby answered. "Just another fun filled day in the office," she said, sounding worried. Tony thought of something. "Abby? Is the glass unbreakable?" He knew this was stupid, but surely Abby would have unbreakable glass. "No, when the bomb went off last year, they replaced it with normal glass. It's totally breakable." Ziva turned into the NCIS parking lot. Tony jumped out of the car and ran to the door. Abby put the phone on speaker. He heard someone beating against the glass. Ziva was behind him. He ran to the stairs and almost fell down the next flight when he heard the glass shatter.

**A/N: Oh, my gosh! My cliffhangers are inspired by the actual show. They always either leave us for a commercial, or they end the episode with a cliffhanger. Sorry, just trying to give you the whole experience since we all have to wait until fall for the real thing... Please tell me what you think! I love reviews! Feel free to offer any suggestions! I'll take them all into consideration! I think that's all I have to say. Thank you for reading!**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Chapter 30! Oh my goodness! I am like super duper excited about this. I didn't think I would reach this chapter! Thank you sooooo much! It means a lot to me. Thank you for your reviews and such. I'm extremely thankful for them! This is answer to the cliffhanger. Please enjoy!**

Tony jumped the last few stairs. He ran through the door to see Emma go through Julius's legs. Abby had a headlock on the man. Tony ran and grabbed Emma while Ziva handled Julius. Tony didn't see what happened, but when he turned back around, Julius was on the floor and Ziva was making sure Abby was okay. Tony was breathing heavily. Emma was crying. Tony sat down and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm freakin' tired of almost dying! Does this happen to you a lot?" Emma asked. Her eyes were wide and she was wiping the tears away. "It actually does. I'm sorry, Emma. Its my fault your life is in constant danger."

"How is it your fault. If I hadn't met you, where would I have gone when my mommy was taken. Even if that hadn't happened, where would I be now. My mommy couldn't take me with her. Please don't blame yourself." Emma had her hands on Tony's shoulders and was looking him in the eye. She raised her eyebrows. He looked at her left eyebrow. She had a cut. "I think you're going to have a scar on your eyebrow. You'll look pretty cool." He hugged her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, I think we should probably tell Vance that a repair is needed down here," Abby said, looking at the shattered glass. Emma put her hand on the cut. It ran diagonal from above her eyebrow to below her left temple, barely missing her eye. She brought her hand down. It had blood on it. She sighed. "Is it bad?" She asked Tony. He looked at it. "I don't know if you'll need stitches or not. I think it's just a scratch, but you'll have a scar." He stood up. Ziva looked at Tony. They both had the same thought running through their head. Whoever these people were, they were watching them. Which meant they weren't joking. Emma's life was in danger. Tony pulled out his phone and called Gibbs. "This is what we get for letting Dornagon watch the conference room. He really needs to learn to say no."

"Are they okay?" Gibbs asked. Tony looked at Ziva. She pointed to her abdomen. Tony looked at Abby he saw her white shirt had a blood on it. Ziva pointed to the knife then pulled her hand across her side. Tony nodded. "Emma has a cut by her eye," Gibbs repeated that to McGee. Tony heard McGee ask about Abby. Gibbs handed the phone to McGee. "Tony! Is she okay?" Tony took a deep breath and could hear McGee's worry. He handed the phone to Abby. "McGee, I'm fine. Its just a little scratch."

"Abby, a knife being pulled across your skin does not produce just a little scratch," Ziva said. Abby looked at Ziva and rolled her eyes. She covered the mic and said, "Now he's going to freak out." Ziva gave her an apologetic look. Tony walked over to Abby. He lifted her shirt to see the cut. Abby slapped his hand. "Hands off, Tony." She gave him a wicked smile. Tony heard McGee yelling something over the phone. Abby held the phone away from her ear and hung up. Tony glared at Abby. "Now I'm going to get slapped after he comes and asks you over and over again if you're okay." Ziva pulled Abby's shirt up and didn't get her hand slapped. She pulled it past the cut. "How the hell did that happen?" Tony asked. She had about a six inch cut across her stomach. It was from her belly button to her ribs. It was bleeding. Ziva pulled her shirt back over the cut. "When he broke the glass, Emma had a shard hit her face. I had one hit my arm, but it isn't bad. Julius went right past me and headed for Emma. He raised the knife and was going to stab her. I grabbed a piece of glass and cut his arm. He turned on me and grazed me with the knife. It really isn't that bad. I put him in a headlock and Emma went through his legs. Ziva came and knocked him out with one punch. It's okay."

"Why is it bleeding so badly if it is not that bad?" Ziva asked. Abby looked down at her shirt. "I have a white shirt on. Its going to look worse than it really is." Tony gave her a doubtful glance. Ziva turned to Emma. Blood trickled down her face from the cut. "I think Ducky should look at your injuries," Ziva said. They nodded and headed to autopsy.

Emma walked in and saw Ducky and Palmer working an autopsy. She saw them take something out of the body. "Cool," she said. Ducky turned to look at them. "Hello, how may I help you?" Ducky asked. Emma walked over to the table. They had a heart on the tray. "That's extremely cool." Ducky chuckled. Tony pulled Emma away from the heart before she gave into the urge to poke it. "Ducky, we had a mishap in Abby's lab." Ducky looked at Emma's eye, and then at Abby's side. "Oh, dear. Uh, Mr. Palmer, please take a look at those two. I need to finish this up." Palmer nodded and walked through the other door. He came back in regular clothes and with a first-aid kit. They walked back to Abby's lab.

"Okay, Emma. Let me see your eye." Emma turned her head and closed her eye. Palmer cleaned it with a wipe and put two band-aids to hold the wound closed. It wasn't deep enough for stitches. Palmer had to be careful about where the band-aids were placed. He had to avoid her eye and her eyebrow. He turned to Abby. She showed him her arm first. He cleaned it and put a band-aid over it. She took a deep breath and pulled her shirt up. Palmer looked up at her and then back down. He frowned and got a gauze pad out. He covered the cut and wrapped the gauze around her stomach. "That's going to need stitches. Its pretty bad." He pressed his hand to the pad to make sure it was secure. Abby winced and let out a shriek of pain. Palmer took his hands away. "Palmer! What the hell?" Abby exclaimed. Palmer gave her a confused look. "I was making sure enough pressure was applied. It will slow down the bleeding. I'm sorry it hurt." Abby glared at him. He stood up and closed the first-aid kit. He went back to autopsy. Abby stood up. "Are you okay?" Ziva asked. She nodded.

McGee and Gibbs came into the lab. They both went to Abby. Tony put his hand on Gibbs' chest to stop him. Tony shook his head. Gibbs sighed and asked Emma if she was okay. McGee walked over to Abby. He pulled her into a hug. She flinched. He pulled back. "What?" He looked down at her shirt. It was covered in blood. "I'm okay, really." She smiled at him. He didn't look convinced. She got closer to him and hugged him softly. He gently pulled her closer. She looked up at him. He kissed her. His hands went to the back of her head. He pressed his lips harder against hers. When they pulled back, he was crying. He pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you, Abby," he said, barely above a whisper. She nodded. "I know. I love you, too." Abby stepped back. She looked at Gibbs. "Go get that looked at. McGee, go with her. We're calling it a night." Abby nodded and turned to get her coat. When she came back out, McGee took her hand. When they walked by Emma, she fake-coughed and said, "Behave..." Abby looked at her and smiled. McGee got a look in his eye. He said, "No way. Behaving is boring." Abby laughed as they walked out of the room. Tony looked confused. "Why did Abby just agree to go. She didn't even argue," Tony said. Gibbs shrugged his shoulders. "I said, we're calling it a night. Go home. Be back early in the morning. We need to get as early of a start as possible. We've got three people to interrogate."

"Well, I'm guessing McGee and Abby are um,... very happy together," Emma said.

"I would hope so. They've been denying it for the past ten years," Tony said. Gibbs looked at him. "Yeah? And what about you two?" He asked. Tony looked down at his shoes. "I'm still not thrilled about you breaking my rule, but I knew you would eventually. The way you two looked at each other. When we thought you were dead, Ziva, DiNozzo was a mess. Let's just get one thing clear, if you break another one of my rules, you won't be happy." Tony and Ziva nodded. Gibbs turned and walked out the door. "He has a rule about that?" Emma asked, looking absolutely dumbfounded. Tony nodded. "I'll write them all down if you want me to." They walked out and joined Gibbs in the elevator. Emma looked at Gibbs. "Do you have a rule about everything?" Emma asked. Gibbs thought back to the day he met Shannon. He asked her the same thing. He smiled and said, "I'm working on it."

* * *

"You're engaged?" Vance asked Tony and Ziva. They were standing in his office. They thought they should go ahead and tell him before they left. Tony nodded. "Gibbs is okay with this? I thought he had a rule about coworkers dating. How the hell did you get away with that?"

"It happened after we resigned. So his rule didn't apply to us. He wasn't thrilled about it when we told him we were together, but he allowed it. He chewed us out this afternoon for not telling him we were engaged. Are you going to make us be on separate teams?" Tony asked. Vance thought it through. He looked out the window and then at the picture of his wife and kids on his desk. "I'll allow it. But if I see that you two can't work together, that's it. You will be put on separate teams." They both smiled. Vance looked at them. "Do you have a date set?" He asked. Ziva shook her head. "No, but we are thinking sometime in April. Can we get about a week off for our honeymoon?" She asked. Vance nodded. They thanked him and walked out the door. Emma was asleep at Tony's desk. Tony looked at her and was going to poke her. His finger was almost at her face when she said, "Anthony DiNozzo. Do you value that finger?" He pulled back his hand and looked at Ziva. She smiled. "How in the world do you do that?" He asked. Emma sat up and raised one eyebrow at him. "Do you really think I would fall asleep?" She stood up and stretched. They walked to the elevator to go home.

**A/N: So, Vance wasn't happy, but he is gonna allow it! How about McGee and Abby. Gibbs addressed the fact that Tony and Ziva flirted from day one. Please tell me what you think! If you have any suggestions, or questions, please tell me. I might end this story and start a new part. Like have a part two. If you think that will be better... Thank you for reading!**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm going to stop this whole late night thing. I'll write the chapters at night, and post them during the day. I figured that would be a lot easier for you. Thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites. We have a major turn of events in this chapter. Something that may make you angry, but don't worry, the final outcome won't. So, I guess on with the show!**

"I don't know if I want Emma to go to school today. We can't keep an eye on her," Tony said. It was four-thirty in the morning. They were eating toast. They had gotten home around eight the night before. They had leftover macaroni for dinner. Emma was still asleep. "She is already a week behind in school. We will just let her teacher know."

"Oh, yeah. That'll go well. 'Hey, Mrs. Jane, Emma is the target of an assassin. We work at NCIS and our whole team is being watched. He tried to kill her yesterday but got knocked out by my amazingly beautiful partner who was Mossad for the longest time. Would it be such a problem if you could make sure nobody kills her?" Tony said in a mocking tone. Ziva grabbed the butter knife and threw it passed his ear. He felt the wind on his ear. His eyes got big. "Not. Cool." She laughed. Tony finished his toast. He put his plate in the sink and walked to the bathroom to take a shower. Ziva walked quietly into Emma's room. She opened the closet. It was going to be cold this morning, and Emma didn't have to be at school until eight. They needed to be into work by six. It was five. She pulled out a pink sweatshirt. She looked at all of Emma's shoes. Ziva narrowed it down to one of her pairs of boots because it wasn't expected to be over 70 degrees today. Ziva put the sweatshirt on the bed. She opened the drawer and pulled out a pair of grey jeans and a green shirt. She put them on the end of the bed. She picked up her studded combat boots and put them below the jeans. She grabbed a pair of socks and threw them at Emma. She hit her in the face with the ball of socks. Emma sat up straight. "Tony! I swear to goodness-" she stopped when she saw who it was. She let out a heavy sigh. "What time is it?" Emma asked. She looked at the clock and pulled her hands down her face. She quit when she almost pulled the band-aid off. She grabbed the socks and climbed out of bed. She pulled the corner of the comforter under her pillow. Ziva went to the bathroom while Tony took over Emma duty. She was putting her sweatshirt on when he walked in. "Come help me choose what shirt and tie to wear," Tony said. She walked with him to the bedroom. "Why don't you ditch the jacket and tie today?" Emma asked.

"That's kind of what I'm supposed to wear." She picked up the blue one and threw it at him. He caught it and put it on over the undershirt he had on. He tucked it in. She grabbed the red striped tie. She pointed to the grey jacket. He thanked her. She ran out the door and slid down the hallway in her socks. The thought that she could be so joyful made him upset. She didn't know that she was a main target of a group of assassins. Ziva came into the room. He smiled at her and put his shoes on. He was trying to put his tie on. He kept messing up. He eventually got frustrated and almost strangled himself trying to get it right. Ziva came over. "Tony, stop." He didn't. "Stop!" He looked up at her. She moved his hands and tied his tie. He still looked frustrated. "What is the matter?" She asked.

"She's always so happy. How are we going to explain to her why Julius came after her?" He shook his head and she grabbed his hands. She kissed him. When they pulled back, she looked into his green eyes. "We are not going to. We will stop them before they do anymore damage." She stepped back and handed him his jacket. He thanked her and put it on. He walked out to the kitchen. Emma was climbing on the counter. She climbed up and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. She got the cereal from the top of the refrigerator. She jumped down. "I would've helped you," Tony said. Emma looked at him and put the bowl and cereal on the table. He got the milk out for her. She grabbed a spoon. She poured the cereal in the bowl, slightly scattering it. "I would've helped you with that, too." She poured the milk in. She didn't sit down. "We have chairs," Ziva said, walking in. She had Emma's boots in her hands. Tony smiled when he saw that she left her hair down. "I know, but we have to leave soon, right?" Tony looked at his watch. It was five-thirty. He nodded. She kept eating her cereal as Ziva brushed her hair. Emma's hair was naturally straight. Ziva pulled the front part back. She waterfall braided Emma's light brown hair. Emma finished her cereal and put her bowl in the sink. She sat down and pulled her boots on. "Nice boots, Emma," Tony said. He looked at the black, lace-up boots that had studs at the top, the toe, and the heel. She smiled at him and stood up. "Aren't you going to tie them?" Tony asked.

"In the car." She picked up her backpack from the couch. She skipped out the door.

* * *

"Interesting way to tie the boots," Tony said. She laced up the boots about halfway, she wrapped the lace around the boot and then tied them. She smiled. "I don't like tying them all the way up. It's too hard to get them off." Tony thought of something. He smiled and turned around. "Your birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"

"October sixteenth. I want an iPod. And my ears pierced. And a new dress for Mary..." Emma continued the list. Tony smiled and took Ziva's hand. She when his finger ran over her ring. They pulled into the parking lot at six. When they got into the bullpen, Gibbs looked up at them. "Good morning, Gibbs," Emma said. He smiled at her. He didn't look thrilled about something. "Boss, what's wrong?" Tony asked. McGee came in and noticed it too. He looked at both of them. They walked towards the elevator. Gibbs got up and followed. Ziva got up to go, too, but Gibbs shook his head. She sat back down. She looked at Emma and they both got the same idea. They went to the stairs and ran down to Abby's lab. "Abby, is there anyway to know what's going on in the elevator?" Ziva asked. She nodded. "I put a recording system in there. I like to be nosy."

"How's your stomach?" Ziva asked.

"Its pretty cool, actually." She lifted up her shirt to show them the stitches. They listened to the conversation. It was obviously just getting started. "Julius spilled last night. He was yelling things at the security guard and he was brought here. I was still here. He gave us everything we needed to know," Gibbs explained.

"That's great!" McGee exclaimed.

"It is, but there's a problem," Vance said. They stayed quiet for a while. "Unfortunately, the head of their group is going to let us capture him. Before you get excited, we also learned that he'll have a gun and will fire. Julius contacted him and he told us where and when we would capture him. He said that he'll only let us capture him if the first person in was shot. He said he didn't care, as long as it was somebody from NCIS. He told us we were to choose it in a random name drawing. He said he would know if we didn't," Vance continued.

"Did you draw names?" McGee asked. It was quiet. "Its one of us, isn't it?" Tony asked. They heard Gibbs sigh. Ziva and Abby looked at each other. "Who was it?" McGee asked. They didn't hear anything. Emma was breathing heavily. "Boss, who the hell was it?" Tony asked. Vance eventually spoke up. "DiNozzo, I'm sorry." Ziva froze. Flashes of her mother's grave came into her mind. Then the news of Tali`, then her shooting Ari, then her father, lying dead in the director's house. She was going to lose another piece of her life. "When?" Tony asked, struggling to talk.

"October sixteenth," Vance said. Emma's stunned look turned into a look of pain. "My birthday." She looked up at Ziva. Tears rolled down her face. Ziva knelt down and opened her arms. Emma walked towards her. The rest of the conversation didn't matter. They knew whoever this man was, he knew who was supposed to be going in. Ziva made sure Emma didn't look like she had been crying, and Abby did the same for Ziva. They walked back up to the bullpen. Tony had his fingers on the bridge of his nose. Ziva knew he only did that when he was stressed. She walked behind him and kissed his cheek. He opened his eyes. "We've got some serious things to talk about," he said. Ziva tried her best to look confused. "Okay, tonight?" She asked. He nodded. McGee stood up and said, "I'm going down to see if Abby needs any help." He was struggling to speak calmly. Tony looked at the clock. He took a deep breath. "We need to be getting Emma to school." Ziva nodded. They didn't have much left to do in the case. Julius admitted to killing Fredric, and his brothers weren't in on the plan to wipe out the team. Emma walked over to the elevator with them. "Remember, school's out at three-thirty. I'll expect you to be there to get me at noon." Tony laughed. Ziva knew it was partially fake. "We'll be there at three-forty-five," Ziva said, looking at Tony. His eyes were forest green, but she saw a hint of emerald. "You're upset about something, and you're in deep thought," Emma said. Tony looked down at her. "How do you figure?" He asked.

"Your eyes. They're dark when you're upset and they look like gems when you're thinking," Emma said. Tony smiled. "See? Your eyes do change colors," Ziva said. She reached for his hand. Tony's heart broke. He only had eight more days to know that feeling. He felt the ring on her finger and almost fell apart. They weren't getting married. She took her hand out of his as they stepped out of the elevator. He noticed something in the way she was walking. She knew something. Something that made her upset. Emma looked up at him with her beautiful gold eyes. The look she gave him would stick in his head forever. She looked up at him with love. He all of a sudden felt guilty. Both of the girls he loved had lost too much in their life. He was going to hurt them all over again. He opened the door and sat down. He buckled up and started the car. This was going to be a hard day.

**A/N: It has a whole plot coming. Don't worry. Gotta love Emma, though, right? School's over at 3:30, and they're to pick her up at noon? Interesting... :). Please tell me what you think! Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I would dearly appreciate them. The next chapter will be up tomorrow. Thank you for reading!**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm getting this up early, so if I find time, I'll post another chapter. I don't have an insanely busy day today, but I'm still busy. If you want me to post another chapter today, please let me know. Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites. I know last chapter made you angry, but it all plays out in this chapter. Well, I'm not saying it works out for everyone ;) But I'm not saying it doesn't work out for everyone. Please enjoy!**

McGee walked down to Abby's lab. She was looking at something on her computer. He heard her crying. He walked up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. He felt her stitches through her shirt. He kissed the spider web tattoo on her neck. She sniffed and turned to face him. "What's wrong?" McGee asked her. She couldn't let him know they had been listening. "Um, my computer crashed. I'm on my period, so it just frustrated me to tears." He looked at her. She tried to look convincing. "No, your not. Your eyes are darker when you're on your period. And its marked on your calendar for next week. What's really wrong?" He pulled her closer. She felt his heartbeat against her chest. "I know about the plan. Tony can't die. He just can't!" She broke down in his arms. McGee was stunned. If Abby knew, that meant Ziva knew, and that meant Emma knew. "Gibbs tried to go in his place, but Harley, that's the man's last name, said the decision had been made."

"But why Tony?! Out of all the agents in this building, why him? He's getting married in April! He has a little girl to take care of! He has Ziva! She's lost too much for this to happen! Its so unfair!" Abby was screaming. She rested her head on his shoulder. He ran his hand up and down her back. "Him and Ziva are supposed to be getting married?" Abby nodded. He took a deep breath. "I didn't know that. I'm just as upset about this, Abby." He wasn't going to cry. He was too angry to. They stood like that for a long time. McGee made sure that Abby was done crying before he went back up to the bullpen. He kissed her.

* * *

"Okay, Emma. Have a great day!" Ziva told her as she was getting out of the car. Emma smiled and walked to the doors. Tony drove off. "Ziva, I think we should go out for lunch today." Tony took her hand. She flinched like she was about to pull away. "That sounds great," Ziva said. They drove in silence the rest of the way. Ziva got out of the car. They walked up to the bullpen. Ziva was about to sit down. Tony stopped her. "You know, don't you?" He asked. She nodded. "Shit, Ziva, I-" She cut him off.

"It is not your fault. I-I guess we could have the wedding earlier, it would be difficult, but we do not need anything fancy." She held back the tears. He looked at her. "We're not getting married earlier, Ziva. I can't- Its just- Damn it! Ziva, I can't marry you and then die. I don't want to do that to you. I love you. More than any marriage could prove. More than any ring could show. I love you- damn. I've never had trouble talking to you." He did take pauses and breaths between almost every word. She grabbed both of his hands and locked her fingers with his. "Ani ohev otach. That's how much I love you," Tony said. She didn't hold the tears back anymore. He had a tear run down his face as well. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "I know how much you love me. You do not want to marry me and then leave me. I love you, Tony. No matter what happens." He gave her a weak smile and kissed her forehead. They sat at their desks.

"Why are we taking a full lunch break if we are only getting fast food?" Ziva asked. Tony smiled. "We have birthday shopping to do." They pulled up to the first store. They bought a small iPod there. They remembered everything Emma wanted for her birthday. It was going to be an awful birthday, so she might as well get good presents. They were taking her that afternoon to get her ears pierced. They had a slow rest of the day.

"We're going to pick Emma up," Ziva said. Gibbs nodded.

* * *

"How was your day, Emma?" Tony asked when she got into the car. She said, "Fine." Her tone stated the subject needed to be left alone. Tony looked at Ziva. She shook her head. "Who do I need to hurt?" She asked Emma. Emma laughed. "Nobody. I just had to get used to school again." Ziva nodded. Tony sighed and shook his head. Emma pulled out a form and handed it to Ziva. "Emma, why do we have to go in for a meeting Monday?"

"I mighta, kinda, sorta um, got in a fight today," she mumbled. Ziva turned around in her seat. "What? Why?"

"George Carlston, he made fun of my scar. I told him what happened and he laughed. He said there was no way you could knock somebody out with one punch. I said, 'Sure there is. I'll prove it.' I punched him in the mouth. He slapped my arm, it ended when I kicked him a place that would hurt. He's always making fun of me. I was sick of it." Tony laughed. Ziva elbowed him in the ribs. "I mean, that was wrong, Emma. You should have kicked him there first and then punched him in the mouth." That got him another elbow. She glared at him. "No, she should not have hit him at all. She should have given him a high five, in the face, with a bat." Emma laughed. Tony smiled and then it faded. He was going to miss that laugh. He didn't listen to the rest of the conversation.

They got into the bullpen and Abby looked at Emma's boots. "Oh, my gosh! I love your shoes, Emma!" Emma smiled. Abby sat in McGee's chair. "Where's McGee?" Tony asked. She looked at him. "The hell if I know. He's probably getting a late lunch." Tony sat down at his desk. They would be able to leave at five. What they would do until then, was a mystery. Tony wasn't looking forward to having the conversation with Emma and Ziva that night. He knew they had found out, but he had to explain what would be going down. He sighed. He pulled out his phone and made a very important call.

* * *

It was the day before Emma's birthday. Emma wasn't going to school today or tomorrow. Tony and Ziva looked at each other as they walked into the bullpen. Last night was the last night Ziva would ever feel his love. She had started crying after it was over. He held her close and didn't let go until the morning. Tony sat at his desk and eventually slammed his hand on the desk. He got up and stormed to Vance's office. He busted through the door. "Vance, we need a new plan. Why do I have to die?"

"Are you backing out?" Vance asked.

"No, I just don't see where not wearing a vest came in. Why am I not wearing a vest?"

"He said if you wore a vest, he would detonate a nuclear bomb. He wasn't bluffing. Abby discovered that he did, indeed, have access to a nuclear weapon." Tony sat down in the chair. He sighed. "I'm just not ready to leave Ziva. Or Emma."

"I understand." Tony stood back up and walked down to the bullpen. He didn't ever want this day to end. No matter if he had a really bad day. He spent the day joking and making fun of McGee. Kissing Ziva a few times, being picked on by Gibbs and Emma, and kissing Ziva a few more times.

They decided to eat pizza for dinner. Nobody ate much. When they went to bed, Tony wrapped his arms around Ziva. She was facing him. The door opened, and Emma walked in. "Can I sleep in here tonight? I can't fall asleep in there." Tony nodded. She crawled up beside him. She rested her head on his arm. "I'm scared, Tony. I don't want you to go," Emma said. Tony's heart broke. "I'll be honest, Emma. I'm scared too." Ziva let out a sob. Tony held her closer. Before they fell asleep, Emma said, "Tony, just so you know, I love you. You've been the father, or immature big brother, I never got the chance to really know. Thank you." She kissed his cheek. He let the tears fall from his eyes. He didn't get much sleep that night.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Emma!" Tony exclaimed. She smiled at him. He carried her birthday cake in. It was four-thirty in the morning. They had to be at the warehouse by seven. He wanted to go into the office one last time. They sang happy birthday, slightly out of tune, to Emma. She opened her presents. She thanked them for everything.

When they got to the office, Tony stopped. His father was sitting at his desk. "Dad," Tony said. Senior stood up. He walked over and hugged his son. "Junior, sorry this is such late notice. I just thought I should come." Tony nodded. "Thank you, dad." Ziva didn't hear Tony and his dad's conversation. She heard the last part though. "I love you, dad." Tony probably hadn't said that since he was a kid. She smiled.

"DiNozzo, its time to go," Vance said. Tony stood up and walked over to Ziva. She looked down. "Please do not say good-bye," Ziva said. Tony nodded. She hugged him. Tony looked over at McGee and Abby. He told them to bring it in, just like the night Mike Franks died. Ducky and Palmer came into the bullpen. Ziva told them to come join as well. Tony eventually pulled back and pulled Ziva aside. He pushed a strand of hair from her face. She closed her eyes. "I'm not one for good-byes, Ziva. I'll just say... see you later." He pressed his lips against hers. When they pulled back, Ziva looked into his green eyes. Then he gave her the gold chain he always wore around his neck. Ziva took her necklace off. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Ziva..." She shook her head and put it in his hand. She closed his hand around it. She kissed him again. Tony hugged Emma. He took a deep breath and walked to the elevator. Gibbs turned to him. "DiNozzo, its been fun." He slapped him on the back of the head. Tony smiled and hugged Gibbs. "Thanks, boss."

* * *

Tony stood outside the door. He had to do it. He pulled Ziva's necklace out of his pocket. He held his breath and walked in. Gibbs watched Tony go in. He waited. And then lowered his head when he heard the gunshot.

They brought Harley out. He had a wicked smiled on his face. Gibbs waited for the okay to go in. When he recieved it, he walked in. He looked around and closed his eyes when he saw Tony on the floor with a bullet in his chest. He walked over to him. Gibbs saw his hand was partially opened. Ziva's necklace was hanging out of it. He sat down. He cursed when a tear escaped his eye. "Do you kiss my fiance`'s forehead with that mouth?" Tony asked. Gibbs looked at him. He hadn't moved. "Boss, something tells me his gun had blanks in it. I don't feel any pain except a slight sting. Is that normal?" Tony asked, not opening his eyes. Gibbs laughed. He picked up the gun that had been used. He pulled out the clip. "Blanks. I'll be damned. Get your ass off the floor, DiNozzo." Tony sat up. He looked down at his shirt. "Does this stuff come out?"

"I don't know," Gibbs said, helping him up. Tony looked at the gun. "How do you think the blanks got in there?"

"Why don't you ask 'em DiNozzo?" Tony glared at Gibbs. He laughed and they walked out of the warehouse together.

**A/N: Oh, come on, guys! Would I really kill Tony? Hell no. That would be, just, wrong. At least Tony can say see you later to Ziva. She's gonna be excited. Please tell me what you think! I love your reviews to the moon and back! Tell me if you want me to find time to get another chapter up, please. Thank you for reading!**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: I was going to end the last chapter at "He lowered his head when he heard the shots." I didn't want to have another cliffhanger. The team still doesn't know, and Tony gets a sneaky idea to tell them. We also hear what Tony was thinking before he walked into the warehouse. Thank you for your reviews! I appreciate all of them. I had a schedule change today, so I had about an hour of free time to write this chapter. Please enjoy!**

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"We were able to get in there and replace the bullets with blanks," a member of the FBI was saying. Tony was standing outside of the warehouse. "You didn't find it important to tell me that I wasn't going to die?" He asked. The agent shook his head. "Good job playing that out until we got him."

"Oh, I fell because I was already on my way down. I just stayed like that because I had to figure out if I was dead or alive. Boss, I want to surprise the team. How are we going to play this out?" Tony asked. Gibbs smiled. He looked over at Vance. "Let's go home." They walked to the car. Tony was smiling. "Vance? Did you know about this?" Tony asked. He nodded. "They told me last night after they replaced the bullets. In order for the mission to work, we had to make you believe you were going to die. I'm extremely happy you stayed still long enough for us to come in and get Harley." Tony sat in the back. He looked down at his shirt again. "I guess I shouldn't have worn my favorite shirt to die in. I'm serious, do you think this will come out?" Gibbs smiled. He hadn't cried since he found out about Kelly and Shannon. He didn't even cry when Jen died, or Franks. They were closer to him than Tony. Tony didn't even know he had had a daughter until a few years ago. He knew why he cried. The thought that he would have to go back and look at Tony's empty desk, then he would have to face the team. He was happy he was going to avoid that. "Damn it. I think I broke Ziva's necklace. Do you think she'll be mad?"

"Yep. She'll probably throw a knife at your head," Gibbs said.

"She did that last week, boss. A butter knife," Tony said, trying to connect the chain back to the star. "I'm being serious."

"So am I. She'll point a gun at your head," Gibbs said. Tony sighed and put the necklace back in his pocket. "Screw it."

They drove back to the Navy yard. Vance walked in first. He walked past the bullpen without looking over. Gibbs stood with Tony outside the building. "What're you going to do?" Tony asked. Gibbs thought for a minute. "I'm going to walk in. I'll sit down without looking at the team. Do you want me to convince them that you're dead?" Gibbs asked. Tony nodded. "I'll make sure Ziva and Emma are the only ones in the bullpen when you come in. Abby and McGee will be down in the lab."

"No, boss. I have a better idea." Tony explained his plan. Gibbs turned and walked into the building. He made sure he left his face emotionless. He walked out of the elevator and walked into the bullpen. "Boss?" McGee asked. Gibbs sighed and pulled his vest off. "Is he gone?" Abby asked. He pulled a badge and gun out of his pocket. He tossed them on his desk and leaned back. "Gibbs, are those... his?" Ziva asked. He didn't answer. He tossed her the badge and gun. He pulled out Tony's NCIS ID. He looked at the picture and then tossed it to Ziva too. She looked at his picture. She brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to hold back her tears. Emma looked at his desk. His jacket was still on his chair. Gibbs looked over at Tony's desk. Then, he pulled something out of his pocket. He stood up and walked over to Ziva's desk. "He said to give you this." He handed her a small package. She opened it with shaking hands. She looked down at the box. She opened it and a piece if paper fell down. She closed the box and picked up the piece of paper. She read it and handed it to Emma. She opened the box again and saw his family ring that his father had given to him last Christmas. Emma started crying before she finished reading the note. McGee grabbed the note. "What does it say?" Abby asked. McGee read the note aloud: "Ziva, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'm sorry this is how our story is going to end. We were going to start a new chapter, but it had to end before we could. Its been an amazing story. I hate that I never got the chance to know you as Ziva DiNozzo. Emma, please have a good birthday, even if I can't be there. Please continue being the amazing young lady you are. I love you both. More than anything else in the world. Tony." McGee looked up.

Emma walked over to Tony's desk. She opened his top drawer. She pulled out another note. She handed it to Gibbs. He read it and slammed his hand on the desk. "Damn it, DiNozzo." He picked up the note. He read this one: "McGee, I know we've had our troubles. You know the names were just to get on your nerves. Abby, I'm really sorry about all those times I pissed you off. Gibbs, theres too much to say, but not enough time to say it. Thanks for being there for me, thanks for slapping the sense back into me, and thank you for always being the father Ziva never had. She means the world to me, please tell her that. Bye, Tony." McGee sat down. Abby let out sobs. Ziva looked at the ring on her finger. "Oh, Tony." Ducky came into the bullpen. He took a deep breath. "Can we see him?" McGee asked.

"I suppose." They went down to autopsy. They all took a deep breath before walking through the doors. Tony was on a table, his green striped shirt had a blood stain on it. The whole team went over first, except Ziva and Emma. Ziva walked over to him. She gasped when she saw her necklace around his neck. She grabbed his hand. She put her head on his chest. She was about to walk out because she couldn't stand it anymore. She held his hand. She was about to let go when she felt his hand close around hers. It pulled her back. "Where the hell are you going?" Tony asked her. She turned around. She saw his green eyes looking at her. "Tony?" She asked. He smiled at her and sat up. "Blanks. Harley doesn't know his plan failed. Well, are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to kiss me?" She almost tackled him. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Why did you do this when you could have just walked in?" Ziva asked. He laughed into her shoulder. "That would have spoiled the surprise." Tears rolled down Ziva's face. Tony pulled back and wiped them away. Emma stood with her arms crossed and she was glaring at him. "Oh, come on! Did you really think I would just walk into the building when I'm supposed to be dead?" Her expression softened. He smiled at her. She ran up and hugged him. He turned around. McGee was staring at him. "Probie, come here!" He pulled him into a hug. McGee hugged him back. Abby stared at him. "My bones are in desperate need of crushing, Abby," Tony said. Abby smiled and, of course, crushed his bones with a hug.

* * *

Tony and Gibbs walked into the prison. Tony hadn't changed his shirt yet, and this was why. "Gibbs, its nice to see you. Tell me, how did it feel? Losing one of your best agents?" Harley asked through the bars. Gibbs smiled. "I don't know, why don't you ask him how he feels?" Tony walked up to the cell he was in. "Did you know, that when you get shot with a blank, all you feel is a sting?" Harley looked at him. Tony raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, I'm alive, you bastard. It seems your gun had blanks in it. Enjoy the rest of your life in here." Tony turned around and walked out the door. Gibbs laughed and followed. "So, DiNozzo, why did you make such a big deal about the team finding out that you're alive?" He asked as they got in the car. Tony sighed. "I figured it would mean more if you gave her the package, and she thought she would never see me again. Its just complicated." Gibbs nodded and started the car. Tony smiled. His hands traveled to the necklace around his neck. He figured she would want it back. He had fixed it when he was waiting for them to come down to autopsy. She could keep his chain for all he cared. He got that from his mother when he was a child. He wore it often, but kept it hidden when he did. "Did I see a tear escape the eye of Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" Tony asked him.

"No, you were seeing things."

"Really? Because I remember you saying something very inappropriate after you let a tear roll down your face." Gibbs reached over and slapped his head. Tony laughed. "Yes, you did. I didn't want to think about how you being dead would cause Ziva to lose someone else in her life. It was just hard." Tony smiled. Gibbs did care. Maybe there was a soft side to him. He had only seen it a few times, but it was different when the soft side was brought out because he thought about how Ziva needed him. It proved he was warming up to them being a couple. "Do you know what I thought before I walked in?" Tony asked. "I saw Emma's dead body. That's what would have happened if I hadn't gone in. I saw Ziva's smiling face, that made me want to change my mind. Then I saw Emma's eyes. The thought of seeing them cold and empty made me get my courage back up. I finally saw Ziva and Emma together, the fact that they were going to die if I didn't go in, that's when I walked in. Boss, Emma told me she loved me last night. She said I was the father, or big brother she never got the chance to know." Gibbs looked at him. Tony felt his eyes on him. "You'll make a good father, you know that right?" Tony looked at him. He had a smile on his face. "No, Ziva isn't pregnant, but I figured you two do want children." Tony nodded.

* * *

**A/N: Well, at least they can relax now. I don't have time to say a lot here, so I'll shorten it. Please tell me what you thought about this chapter and if you have any suggestions. I'll have the next chapter up tomorrow! Thank you soo much for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you to the moon and back for your reviews! I'm thinking about ending this part after the next chapter. I'll jump ahead in the story line a few months. We have a major change for Tony, Ziva and Emma in this chapter. We see the sarcastic side of Emma, and she officially has spent too much time around the team. You'll find out why. Well, on with the show**

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"Emma, how has your seventh birthday been?" Tony asked her as the sat in the bullpen. He had his feet propped up on his desk and was leaning back. Emma looked up from her book she had to read for school. She was sitting against the front wall by Ziva's desk. "Lemme see," She thought for a minute. "I had to wake up at four this morning, I cried all night, I had to come in here at six this morning, I had to tell you good-bye, then I have to hear two notes about how you would miss us, I had to walk into autopsy and saw you on a table, then we thought you were dead and you started talking! Oh, but other than that, it's been perfect."

"Did I catch sarcasm in your voice?" Tony asked her. She rolled her eyes and went back to reading. "Careful, Emma. They're gonna stick that way." She sighed. Tony had put his NCIS sweatshirt on. Emma closed her book and pulled out her iPod. McGee had put her favorite music on it that morning. Emma put her earphones in. Tony watched her as she nodded her head to the music and drew a picture in her note book. He looked at the calendar. "Emma, Halloween is coming up. What are you planning on being?" Tony asked. She didn't look at him. He crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at her. She stopped drawing and looked up at him. She took her left earphone out. "How may I help you?" She asked.

"I said, what are you planning on being for Halloween?" He repeated slowly. She thought for a minute. "I was thinking a ghost. I've been a princess or something for the last seven years. I want to be something awesome this year. Not that princesses aren't awesome, but I don't want to be one this year."

"I think that is a great idea, Emma," Ziva said. Emma smiled and put her earphone back in. She hummed the song that was playing. When she started singing, Tony could barely hear her, but he could tell that she had an amazing voice. He knew he probably wouldn't get her to sing any louder, but he still found it amazing that she could be so talented. He pulled up the website he had been looking at. He found a picture and sent it to Ziva. "I love it!" She exclaimed.

"It has four bedrooms. One master bedroom and bathroom, two out of the other three have their own bathrooms, and a pool. The yard is huge, and its a two story house. The kitchen is amazing, and, get this, its only a few blocks away from the park." Ziva looked at the picture of the house. It was a simple two story house. She didn't know what it looked like on the inside, but the front of it already had her in love. "Why do you ever doubt me, Ziva," Tony asked. She looked at him and answered her phone. Tony smirked. Emma didn't look up from her notebook, but said, "Tony, wipe that grin off your face."

"How? How do you do that?!" He asked. She didn't hear him, but she had a smug expression on her face. Tony was about to throw another ball of paper at her when a pair of scissors took the paper out of his hand. He froze with his hand back. He turned his head slowly to the wall behind him. The scissors were sticking in the ball of paper and were stuck in his wall. "Oh, my God! Ziva? What the hell?" He asked. She laughed. She was still on the phone. He pulled the scissors out of the wall. The put them in his desk drawer with his gun and badge. Also in that drawer was the numerous knives Ziva had thrown at him. Emma looked up at him. She looked wide-eyed at Ziva and then Tony. She took her earphone out again. "Did she just throw scissors at you?" She asked.

"Yeah. And she took the ball of paper out of my hand with them." Tony still had the surprised look on his face. Emma held back her laugh. She got up and walked over to Tony's desk. "I honestly think she scares you," she said slyly. Tony looked at her. "She doesn't scare you?" He asked.

"Ha. No. I'm not scared of anybody."

"Not even Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"Not even Gibbs. Be honest, the man acts all tough, but we all know he has a soft si-" She stopped and closed her eyes. She wrinkled up her nose. "He's behind me, isn't he?" She asked. Tony coughed to keep his laugh in. Emma turned around. Gibbs was standing there. Emma put her weight on one leg and crossed her arms. She raised one eyebrow. "You don't scare me, ya' know." He squatted down and looked her in the eyes. She smiled. "Has anyone ever told you that you have really pretty eyes?" She asked him. He smiled. "No. Nobody has ever told me that. Thank you, Emma. Your eyes are very pretty too." He gently tapped her on the back of the head. "What was that for?" She asked. He stood up. "That's for changing the subject."

* * *

"Ziva, relax. We're going to look at a house, not going to see the president." Tony put his hand on her leg. She relaxed. They had decided that the Saturday after Emma's birthday, they would go and look at the house. Tony pulled up into the driveway. They walked in. Emma and Ziva's jaw dropped. From the outside, the house looked like a simple two-story house. Inside, that was a whole different story. The front entrance opened up to a large room. "This will be the living room," Tony said. He walked over to the kitchen. It had an island and a breakfast bar. The marble-top counters were white. They walked into a room beside the kitchen. A small, but beautiful chandelier was hanging from the ceiling. "This is the dining room."

Also on the bottom floor, was the guest bedroom and bathroom, the laundry room, and the double glass doors that led to the back patio. Tony opened the doors. The back patio had a built-in grill and counters. The pool in the backyard was amazing. It had a slide, a diving board, and a section of it was a hot tub. There were also fountains. The yard around the pool was even better. Emma looked around and saw a tree house at the far end. She screamed and ran over to it. She climbed the ladder and opened the door. There wasn't much inside, but there was a tire swing and a slide on the outside. She climbed back down and ran back over to Tony and Ziva. They smiled and walked back into the house. They went up the spiraled staircase. They went into the second smallest bedroom, next to the guest room. It was still pretty big. This was the only room without its own bathroom.

"Emma, this is going to be your room. Its pretty big, and I expect you to keep it nice and neat." Tony opened the door. Emma almost passed out. She had a window seat, a walk-in closet, and her own bathroom. The bathroom had a nice bathtub. She smiled and looked at Tony and Ziva. Her room had a nice, soft carpet in it. It was better than the hardwood that was in her room at Ziva's. Ziva took Tony's hand. He led her to the master bedroom. "This, sweet cheeks, is our room. He opened the door. Ziva looked around with wide eyes. It was huge. They had separate walk-in closets, a balcony, and a chandelier. The bathroom was stunning. It had an exotic theme to it. Like they were in a rain forest. The walls were green. There were separate sinks, a sunken bathtub that could also be a jacuzzi, and the shower didn't have a regular faucet. It 'rained' from the top of the shower. Ziva turned around to Tony. She walked up and hugged him. "I think we should take it," she said. Tony nodded. "Its ours, Ziva. I already bought it."

They walked out of their bedroom. Emma was looking at a door they had not opened yet. "What's this?" She asked, reaching for the knob. Tony stopped her. "Its a surprise," he said. She sighed and pulled her hand back. There was a railing where you could look out over the living room. "When are we moving furniture in?" Ziva asked. Tony smiled at her. "We have to decide who's furniture we're taking."

"My couch," Ziva said.

"My bed," Tony said.

"My dining table," Ziva fired back.

"My TV," Tony said. They continued this until they finally had the furniture thing worked out. Emma ended up getting a new bed out of their argument. She would be getting a queen sized bed with drapes. Tony was discussing something with Ziva. Emma couldn't hear what it was, but she knew it was about her. She looked over at them. They smiled at her. She smiled back. What were they planning? She was going to find out.

* * *

**A/N: They're moving into a house together! Like a real family! Emma could tell Gibbs was behind her, but not before she said something about him. Too much time around the team. What's behind the secret door? Mystery... :) please tell me what you think! I love you guys! Like a lot! Thank you for reading!**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I won't end this part after this chapter, but it will be ended soon. Don't worry! There'll be a part two! Possibly three if it goes that long! Thank you for your follows, favorites, review, and just reading in general. I plan to keep this story going as long as possible! It'll be hard, because my sister has to start some type of therapy. But I'll find time! On with the show!**

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"Emma, the house is finally decorated!" Ziva exclaimed as her and Emma drove back from the park. They had been there all day. It was the day after they had looked at the house. She pulled into the driveway. They walked into the house. It looked even better when it was decorated. Emma ran up to her room. She screamed when she saw that it had been painted pink and white. She had pink drapes on her bed. Her bed spread was white with pink polka dots. She smiled when she saw that Mary had her own personal bed. It had a pink bed spread with white polka dots. Mary also had her own closet. It was just a trunk with a pole put through the top, but it still meant a lot to her. She ran and dove on to the bed. She hadn't been this happy in a long time. Her walls had butterflies painted on them. She had her own personal TV in there too.

Tony stood at the door with Ziva. She kissed him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. Emma was looking around. Her toys, clothes, everything had been place in her room. Tony motioned for her to come here. She got up and walked over to him. He covered her eyes and guided her down the hallway. Ziva opened a door. They walked up steps. Tony uncovered her eyes. She squealed in delight. Before her was a room with a hammock, a desk, a giant stereo system, and in the middle of the room, Tony's piano stood. Painted on the navy blue wall was, 'Emma's Hideaway.' The other wall had 'Ohana' and on the only wall with white stripes was an anchor and below it, it said 'NCIS.' Emma looked at the shelf across the room. It had piano books from top to bottom. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She ran over and hugged both of them. Ziva smiled at Tony. "Your welcome, Emma." Tony looked her in the eyes, "Now, Emma since we have a whole room for your music, reading, and relaxing, you are going to have to teach me how to play piano. Do you think you can do that?" She smiled. He hugged her again.

Tony and Ziva walked out the door and down the stairs. "She'll be in there a while. Do you know what that means?" Tony asked, backing her towards their room. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed her lips against his. "I think I do," she said against his lips. He smiled against hers. He opened the door and kicked it closed when they were in the room. He reached back and locked the door. Ziva's hands pulled his shirt over his head. He found the zipper on her coat. Her t-shirt came off, too. Tony laid her on the bed and crawled on top of her. She undid his belt, and got his pants off. She didn't know when her own jeans had come off. He put his hands on both sides of her. He leaned down to kiss her neck. She shivered. He kissed her collarbone, her chest, her stomach, and went back up to her lips. Tony's arms began to shake from staying up so long. Ziva rolled them so his arms could have a break. "You are getting old, Tony," Ziva said.

"Why do you say that?" She laughed and kissed him. If this had been before they were engaged, he would already be pounding into her. He let her decide when he could remove the rest of her clothes. "I am saying that because you used to be able to stay up on your arms longer." She kissed his jaw and his ear. "I've been moving furniture all day!"

"That would explain why you are in desperate need of a shower," Ziva said. He grumbled and traced the long scar on her back with his finger. "It's supposed to be warm next Saturday. Maybe we can go swimming," Tony said. Ziva stopped kissing him. He looked into her eyes. "What?"

"I cannot go swimming. What if Emma looks at me differently when she sees my scars?" Ziva asked. Tony laughed quietly and kissed her. "She won't. She has scars too. You didn't know that?" Tony asked. Ziva shook her head. "Well, she has one down the back of her leg, three on her back, and the one from her most recent stitches."

"But mine are hideous and all over my body. The ones on my legs have disappeared, but the ones on my back and shoulder and chest, they are disgusting. Admit it," Ziva said, trying to pull away from him. He pulled her back and stared into her eyes. "Tony," she whined.

"Ziva," he mocked her whining. She sat straddled him. "You know it is not fair that your eyes have that effect on me." He laughed and propped up on his arms. Ziva smirked. "What?" Tony asked her, his eyes getting wide. "That is very obvious." Tony knew what she was doing. He raised his eyebrows at her. "For your information, that's my knee." She smiled at him and pulled his boxers off.

"That was definantly not your knee." She smiled and kissed him. He undid the bra clasp and removed her panties. He looked into her eyes with love.

* * *

Emma looked around at her hideaway. She went over to the shelf and pulled out a book. She would have to listen to this song before she tried to play it. She opened it to the back. A CD that had the music in the book on it was in a package. She took it out of the package and put it in the stereo. She was amazed when she found out the stereo had surround sound. She sat down on her hammock. Then she remembered she had to get Mary. She ran down the stairs and to her room. She grabbed her backpack and went back up to the hideaway. She went over to the desk. She pulled out her notebook. On a clean sheet, she wrote the names of the songs in the book that caught her attention. She took a nap after she was done.

Tony kissed Ziva's collarbone. She stroked the back of his head. She got an evil idea. "Oh, my God! Tony, I think you are losing your hair!"

"What?! Oh, no, no, no, no!" He ran over to the mirror in the bathroom. He tried to see the top of his head. "Am I really?" He asked Ziva. She laughed. "No, you are not losing your hair." He glared her. She got up and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist. She took his chain off of her neck and put it back around his neck. "I think you should wear that more often." She rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled at her in the mirror. "Ziva, you know I love you, right?"

"Anthony DiNozzo, what did you do?" She asked. He walked over to his night stand. He pulled out her necklace, and handed it to her. The chain was broken. "In my defense, I was lying on the floor of that warehouse and I had to figure out if I was dead or alive. I guess somebody stepped on it. I fixed it, but then it broke again." She took the necklace. She frowned and went to her closet. She came out with the Star of David on a new chain. "Simple as that," she said. Tony took it and put it around her neck. She smiled. They heard Emma's footsteps coming down the stairs. Tony put his clothes back on and Ziva went to take a shower. Tony opened the door and went to Emma's room. She smiled at him. "Where's Ziva?" Emma asked.

"In the shower," Tony said. Emma sat down on her bed. "What did you do while I was upstairs?" Emma asked, fixing Mary's hair. Tony froze. "Um, you know, we just... took a nap. Yeah."

"I took a nap in the hammock. Its pretty comfortable." Tony let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Tony looked over at the clock. It was almost six. "What do you want to eat, Emma?" Tony asked.

"Spaghetti." Tony turned and walked down the stairs. Emma walked out of her room. She looked over the rail at the living room. Having an urge to get a rope to the rail and make a faster way to get down the stairs, she back away from the rail. "Tony!" She yelled.

"Emma!" He yelled back. She laughed. "Don't I have tomorrow off from school?"

"In what world?" He asked.

"My world," Emma yelled. He came and looked up at the rail. She had her head between the bars. "What are you doing?" Ziva asked her.

"Observing." Emma said, pulling her head from between the rails. Ziva looked over the rail. "What are you observing?"

"The mysterious creature down there," Emma said, making a semi-circle with her hands. Ziva looked down again. "The only creature down there is Tony."

"Exactly," Emma said, keeping a straight face. She was struggling to hold her laugh back. Ziva laughed and walked down the stairs, followed by Emma. Emma ran over to the doors. "Can I go outside?" She asked. She had her hand on the knob. "Grab you jacket first," Tony said. She ran to get her coat. When she came back, she ran through the doors and to the tire swing on her tree house. Ziva stood at the door watching her. "Stop worrying. She's a big girl. I'm pretty sure she can handle swinging."

"When it gets colder, are we going to drain the pool?" Ziva asked. Tony looked over at her. "No, it will be okay." Ziva sighed and sat down at the breakfast bar. Tony leaned on the counter and looked at Ziva. The bar was set up where it was in between two walls, and looked into the kitchen. "Okay, I'll trust your judgement."

* * *

**A/N: Mysterious creature, huh? He's mysterious, I'll give her that much. I kind of got jealous of Emma's Hideaway. That just seems cool! Please tell me what you think and if you're still enjoying the story! Thank you for reading!**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: I might not be able to post anything Saturday and Sunday. I am going to be busy from dawn on Saturday to dusk on Sunday. I will try as hard as possible to get something up, but I don't think I'll be able to. Well, thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites! Thank you for staying with the story!**

They were sitting in their desks at work, and Ziva let out a heavy sigh. She put her head in her hands. Gibbs and McGee looked up at her. Tony didn't look up at her, but he stood up and walked over to her desk. "Hey, what's wrong?" Tony squatted down in front of her. He took her hands. She looked down at her lap. He tried to lift her head so that she was looking into his eyes. "Ziva, look at me."

"I do not want to." He sighed and put his head in her lap. He had to reposition himself so that her could look up at her face. "This is very uncomfortable, so I would be thankful if you would look up at me," Tony said. She lifted her head. He looked into her eyes. "Now, tell me, what's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about how everyone who gets too close, they always end up dead. You almost dying last week made me realize that it is true." Tony remembered when she had said that a few years ago. He relaxed his shoulders and moved his finger in a circular motion on the back of her hand. "I'm close to you, but there's a chance I'll die every time I walk through a door. Its the charm of the job. I try not to think about it."

"What did you think when you walked through the warehouse door? When you knew you were about to die?" Ziva asked. He stood up and sat on the edge of her desk. "You, Emma, the fact that if I didn't go in, you both would die. The thought of you two dying and I had a chance to prevent that. Ziva, the ones that get too close, even if they end up dead, they still loved you. I would take a bullet for you. I'm pretty sure any of us would. I love you, Ziva. Till death do us part." He had his hands on the arms of her chair and was less than a few inches away from her face. He kissed her. "I love you, too," she whispered.

"So, now that I've had my emotional speech for the day, can I go back to work without having to give you another one?" Tony asked. She nodded. Tony stood up and wiped her tears. He walked back over to his desk. He felt McGee staring at him. Tony glanced over at Gibbs and saw that he was smiling. Tony looked at the picture of Ziva he had on his desk. He opened his drawer and pulled out the scissors Ziva had thrown at him the other day. "Ziva, do you want your scissors back?"

"Why the hell do you have her scissors, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"She threw them at me the other day."

"Ziver, is that true?" Gibbs looked over at her. She smiled. "I have no idea why he has my scissors." Tony slammed the drawer shut... on his finger. "Shit!" He leapt up and shook his hand. Ziva walked over to his desk. She grabbed the scissors. "Give me those before you stab yourself." Tony looked at his finger. He sat back down. "I think its broken. Does it look bad?" Tony walked over to McGee's desk. McGee looked at his finger. "No, it just looks like you slammed it in a drawer." Tony glared at him. He slapped him on the back of the head. "Hey!" McGee slapped his hand with the hurt finger. Tony let out a strange, scream or screech, or something. Gibbs looked up at them. "Are you two done?" He asked. Tony nodded. He sat back down at his desk. "Damn it, now I can't type." He pointed at Ziva with his hurt finger. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Grow up, DiNozzo. I'm sure she can break that arm again and take the pain away from your finger," Gibbs said. Tony looked at Ziva. She smiled. He brought his finger back down. Gibbs smirked.

* * *

"Yep, its pretty warm outside. I think we can go swimming," Tony said. It was Saturday. Emma's eyes brightened up. She ran up to her room. Tony laughed. Ziva tensed up in his arms. "Hey, I told you that she won't look at you differently," Tony said. He grabbed her hand. She didn't see how a man could still love her even though her scars were hideous. He looked down at her. "I promise." She kissed him.

Tony and Ziva got up and went to their room. Ziva looked at the swim suit she never thought she would wear in front of anybody ever again. She put it on in the bathroom. She looked at the scar down her chest. She turned around and saw the large scar running parallel with her spin. She sighed and looked at the smaller ones that surrounded it. The only one that ever kept her from exposing too much of her shoulders was a deep scar on her shoulder blade. She pulled a t-shirt over her head and sat on the edge of the tub. She thought back on her time in Somalia. She almost started crying, but then remembered that it was all over. She had Tony now. He would always be there for her. The bathroom door opened. Tony walked in with a pair of navy swim shorts and a t-shirt on. He sat down beside her. "You're beautiful, Ziva."

"Scars and all?" She asked. He stood up and took her hands. She stood up, too. He pulled her as close as he possibly could. She put her hands on his chest. He kissed her gently. "Scars and all," he whispered.

They walked down to the pool. Emma was standing there. She saw them and ran over to the diving board. She jumped in. Tony looked at her. She swam over to the edge and held on. "Well, what're you waiting for?" She asked. Tony pulled his shirt off and was about to jump in when he turned and saw Ziva just standing there. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her over his shoulder and jumped in. "Tony!" Ziva yelled. He smiled at her. She swam over to the edge of the pool. She took a deep breath and took the t-shirt off. Emma looked at Ziva's back. She had scars down her back and across her shoulder. Ziva turned around and Emma held her gasp. She looked at the long scar down Ziva's chest. She saw where Ziva had been shot. She looked away before Ziva could notice she had been staring at her. Emma knew her own scars were showing, so she turned her back to let Ziva know that she wouldn't think of her any differently. Ziva looked at Emma's scars. They were small, but where ever she got them from, it was a painful experience. She smiled. Emma had turned around because she wanted to let Ziva know that she was the same. Tony swam over to Ziva. "You see? She knows what you feel like." Tony put his hands on her hips. He pulled her close. She kissed his cheek and slipped out of his grip. They spent the rest of the afternoon swimming.

**A/N: I don't really have a lot to say, and I'm already on a tight schedule, so I'll cut to the chase, Please tell me what you think! I read all of your reviews, and if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them! Thank you for reading!**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: We broke 100 on reviews! I'm like extremely happy! Thank you! Thank You! I love you all to the moon and back. **

**This might be one of the last chapters of this particular part, but even though I won't have time to post anything, I'll write them during my, like, 50 hour car ride. Not really 50 hours, but you get my point. Well, on with the show!**

* * *

"Why does my nose always take the hits?" Tony asked. Ziva had her hand on Tony's nose. She was trying to stop the blood from getting on the crime scene. It wasn't working out. They walked away from the taped off area and went to the van. She pulled out the first-aid kit and wipes so that he could get the mystery substance off of his hands. The closet door handle in the victims house had been coated in it. Tony had opened it, but he didn't have his glove on all the way. Another body fell out of the closet and his head busted Tony's nose. Whatever was on the door got on his wrist, he tried to wipe it away, and it got all over both of his hands. "Rule two, DiNozzo!" Gibbs yelled at him.

"I had a glove, it just wasn't on." While Tony was cleaning his hands off, Ziva pulled her hand down from his nose. Blood was streaming from his nose. "I'm glad I didn't wear a white shirt today. Oh, wait! I did," Tony said sarcastically. Ziva looked up at him. "I have a light shirt on, too. Your blood is all over my sleeves now. And my hands." She pulled out a gauze pad and held it to his nose. "Tilt your head back."

"Yes, ma'am." Ziva laughed. Tony looked down at her. "What?"

"Your voice." He brought his head down. She glared at him. When he didn't tilt his head back, she put her other hand under his chin and tilted it back for him."I'm serious. Why does my nose always take the hits?" Tony asked.

"It does not. Your mouth took the hit when we were undercover as Sophie and Jean-Paul."

"Oh, yeah. Then why does my face take all the hits?" Ziva shook her head. He smiled. "Now, stay like that until I come back." She grabbed his hand and placed it on the gauze. She grabbed a wipe and walked back to the crime scene. "Stay that way, Tony!" She yelled. He groaned and tilted his head back. Ziva ducked under the tape. She finished wiping the blood off of her hands. She put gloves on. "Is he okay?" Gibbs asked as she grabbed the camera from McGee. "He is fine. Just a bloody nose."

* * *

"Why is Tony's blood at this crime scene?" Abby asked. Emma looked up at McGee. She had a cold, so she couldn't go to school. "McGee, why is Tony's blood at this crime scene?" Abby repeated.

"Nose bleed," Tony said, walking in. He still had dried blood on his mouth. Abby looked at McGee. "Now, was that so hard to say, McGee?" He rolled his eyes and looked over at Tony. Emma coughed into her sleeve. "Come on, Emma. They've got a bunch of work to do," Tony said. She stood up and coughed again. She groaned and looked up at the ceiling. Tony walked over to her and picked her up. "Come on, my little sickly midget."

"I'm not a midget. And I'm not-" She coughed. "Sickly." Tony looked at her and walked out the door. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Ziva's getting you a doctor's appointment," Tony said. Emma saw the blood on his shirt. "You have blood on your shirt, Tony."

"I know. I keep an extra shirt in my desk." The elevator stopped. Tony stepped out and walked to his desk. He sat Emma down in his chair. Her face was flushed. "Are you hot, Emma?" Tony asked. She shook her head. "I'm kind of cold." He put is hand on her forehead. She had a fever. "Ziva, do you have anything for her to take?"

"No." Tony sighed and pulled out the extra shirt he had. He took the white one off. He had the blue one on, but it wasn't buttoned yet. Gibbs walked in. "DiNozzo! How many times have I told you not to change here?"

"Never, boss. You just say 'Put your damn shirt on' or 'Button your damn shirt.'"

"Well, button your damn shirt, then. And go to the men's room and wipe the blood off your face." Tony buttoned his shirt and walked to the bathroom. Emma coughed again. Gibbs looked at her. "Gibbs, what would you suggest doing for her fever?" Ziva asked.

"Tylenol, lots of water and rest." Tony came back from the bathroom. Ziva told him what he needed to do. "Why didn't you do it?" He asked.

"Because I was smart and put gloves on at a crime scene so I did not end up with slime on my hands. So I actually have work to do." He glared at her. He turned to Emma. "Okay, when we go out for lunch, we're going to get you medicine for your fever."

"Okay," she said. She wiped her nose on her jacket sleeve. "We'll get you tissues, too. You need to drink lots of water, and a nap wouldn't be a bad idea. You should probably take your jacket and shoes off."

"But I'm cold!" She whined. He thought for a minute. "Take them off anyway, and you can rest your head on my sweatshirt that Ziva decided to keep at her desk." She pulled her jacket off and her tennis shoes. Ziva threw the sweatshirt to him. He folded it up and put it on the floor. She grabbed Mary and laid down. She was in a short sleeve t-shirt, and Tony saw her shiver. He looked around. Ziva handed him her NCIS jacket. "What if you need it?" Emma asked.

"I will use Tony's and he can get chewed out by Gibbs." Emma laughed. Tony fake laughed. He covered Emma up. He laid down beside her. "I'm sorry you have to stop working to take care of me," Emma said. Tony frowned at her. "Do you really think I would ever say no to a break from work?" She smiled. She covered her mouth and coughed again. "I told you to stop smoking. This is what happens," Tony said.

"I don't smoke. It was probably from you making me go in the basement," Emma said. Tony smiled. He froze and looked up to see Gibbs looking down at him. "Are you comfortable?"

"No, the floor is actually very uncomfortable."

"I'm sure an autopsy table will be really comfy. If you don't get your ass up, that's were you'll be." Emma held back her laugh. Tony got up and made sure Emma was okay before getting back to work.

* * *

Tony looked down at Emma. She had woken up long enough to take medicine, but she fell asleep again. Tony could hear her music from his desk. He leaned over and turned the volume down a little. Abby came into the bullpen. She said something, but Tony didn't hear. He looked over at Ziva. She was twirling her knife in her fingers. "Woah, my ninja. You're going to cut your finger off one day," Tony said. She stopped and smiled at him. It was a sarcastic smile. She started twirling the knife again. He sighed and looked over at McGee. "Hey, McGoo, will you, please do, what I tell you to?" McGee looked up at him. Tony smiled. "You didn't tell me to do anything."

"Oh, I know. I just wanted to rhyme." McGee looked up at Abby. Tony fake coughed and said, "Stop looking at her ass, Probie." Abby turned around and glared at Tony. "What did I get that look for?"

"Because you're just worthy of getting that look. I'm sure you'll make up for it." McGee smiled. Abby turned to him. "And _you_ already made me angry." She turned and walked to the elevator. "Damn, McGee. What'd you do?" Tony asked. McGee didn't answer. Tony dropped the subject. Tony looked back over at Ziva. She was still twirling the knife. "Please, stop! That bothers me," Tony said. She tilted her head to the side. "Please don't throw it at me," Tony said. She put the knife on her desk. She grabbed a pen and started twirling that instead. "I am bored. I figured this is better than throwing the knife at you."

"I can find you something to do, Ziva," Gibbs said.

"No, that is okay. I will just wait for a match on our victims like the rest of you." Emma coughed. Tony looked back at her. She was still asleep. He knew she hated being sick. This morning, on their way to work, she got upset because she couldn't hit a note in her favorite song. "Ziva, did you get her a doctor's appointment?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I did. Tomorrow, at eleven. I will take her. You can stay here." She had her knife again. He looked at the knife and then at her. She smiled and continued spinning the knife. "Under one condition," Tony said.

"And that would be?"

"You leave the knife here."

"Rule nine. One of my personal favorites, other than two. Which you need to learn." He rolled his eyes. She smiled. He looked back at her and, even though he tried to hold it back, he couldn't help but smile.

* * *

**A/N: His nose does take a lot of hits. There's going to be a bad turn of events in the next chapter. Nobody dies, but the team doesn't know this. Please tell me what you think! I love all of your reviews! Thank you for reading!**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Oh, my God! I am sooooo sorry! I had no time what so ever to get anything done. I'll get chapters up as soon as possible. It is like two in the morning. My sister was up all night with pain. I just got her to sleep, and I already had this written. I've been up for three days straight. Lots of coffee. It doesn't seem to be helping anymore. I'm extremely sorry about not having anything up. I feel awful about it. **

**Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites. On with the show, I suppose!**

"I'm not saying that!" Tony yelled.

"Then what the hell are you saying, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. Tony glared at Gibbs. They were at a small garage that had been owned by their victim. The plan was to go in as costumers and act normal. Emma was supposed to go in as Ziva's daughter. Tony didn't want Emma included in this. It had too many possible flaws, dangers, and Emma was still sick. They hadn't gotten to the doctor because this unexpected plan came up. Tony had told Gibbs that he didn't think Emma should come. Gibbs brought her anyway. Tony and Gibbs were in an argument over why she was here. "Just drop it, Tony," Emma said. Tony looked at her. She looked pale. "I'll be okay." Gibbs knelt down beside her and gave her an earwig. She put it in her ear. Tony grabbed Gibbs' arm and pulled him aside again. "Why is she getting an earwig?"

"So she won't be clueless about what's going on. She needs to know just in case something does happen." Gibbs pulled his arm loose of Tony's grip. Tony stood there, glaring at him. Gibbs pulled Emma aside. He pulled her hair over the earwig so that it wasn't visible. Ziva walked beside Tony. Her hair covered hers as well. "Tony." She put her hand on his cheek. He pulled away. "Tony, do not do this." He looked at her. Her eyes weren't soft like they should've been. They were empty of emotion. "Stop it," Tony said.

"Stop what?" Ziva asked.

"Creeping him out," Emma said. She walked over to them. Tony looked at the earwig she had. "I was not creeping him out," Ziva said. She hadn't stopped looking at Tony. "Well, you had your emotionless, ninja eyes and you were looking into my soul. _My soul!"_ Tony said. Emma raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. Gibbs got their attention. "Go time," Tony said. He and McGee got in the car across the street. Gibbs stood by the door, pretending to be on the phone. Emma and Ziva walked in. "May I help you?" The man at the front desk asked. Ziva walked up to the desk. "Yes, you can. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on oil for my car. My car has not been running well since I changed what I usually use." The man looked at her. She smiled. Emma pretended to be looking at the keychains on the counter. "Carly, I told you not to touch," Ziva said. _  
_

"I just wanted to see if there were any cool ones." Emma stopped spinning the rack. She coughed. The man looked up. "That's quite a cough. Are you sick?"

"I don't know. I ain't had time to get to the doctor," Emma said. She turned around and looked at the fish tank that was in the room. "Okay, if you would, please go around the left corner of the building. There will be a big garage. Go in the first door, I'll meet you there," the man said. Ziva thanked him and called for Emma. They walked out the door. Gibbs put his hand up to Emma for a high-five. She smiled and slapped his hand. They walked around to the building they were supposed to go to. Ziva walked in and met the man. Emma walked around the shelves. She saw a room in the back. It was open, so she began to walk to it. She glanced in and saw weapons. Lots of them. The door closed. She turned around walked to one of the shelves. She pretended to be looking at something. Gibbs told her how to communicate with the rest of the team. "Guns. Lots of them. Big room in the back of the store." She looked up at Ziva. Ziva tensed up and decided on one of the oils. "Why were you in a room of guns?" Tony asked.

"I wasn't. I was simply doing what every seven-year-old does. Exploring." She walked back up to Ziva. They bought the oil and walked back out to the car. Gibbs met them halfway. He was about to say something when they heard a shout. "Hey! She saw the room!" They turned to see a man pointing at Emma. Tony got out of the car and walked up with Ziva and Gibbs. They pulled out their badges and guns. The other man pushed a button and the doors started closing. The team ran in before they closed all the way. Tony turned when he got in. "Emma! Go back out!" The doors closed all the way. She turned and smiled at him. "Can't. We're all in here now. Other than McGee." Tony's jaw clenched. Emma's did the same. Ziva looked at the two of them. They were just alike. The team started walking back to the room Emma saw the guns in. Gibbs tried the door. It was locked. Emma heard something back at the front. She crept towards the front of the store. She turned the corner, and saw a man sneaking up behind Tony with a bat. She turned and ran back the way she came. She turned and saw Tony squatting with his back turned. She ran and stood in front of Tony just before the bat hit him. She was able to block Tony's head from the shot, but not her own. She put her arm up, but it still hit her head. She screamed and put her hand up to the side of her head. She was sure her arm was either broken, or that was going to be one heck of a bruise. Her arm and head took equal parts of the blow. Tony turned around and shot the man in the knee. Ziva and Gibbs came to the back of the store. Emma brought her hands down from her face and saw blood all over them. She felt it running from above her ear, down her head, and she felt it on her ear. Her hair was soaked in blood already. "I'm okay. He swung like a girl. It didn't do anything."

"Emma, your head is busted. Even if he did swing like a girl." Tony looked at the blood. She looked up at him. Tony looked into her eyes, they had tears in them, but she didn't cry. "How are you not crying? I cried like a baby when I busted my head," Tony said.

"I'm stronger than you," Emma said. She looked at the man on the floor. He was moaning in pain. Emma coughed. Her vision was getting blurry. She saw keys on his belt loop. She reached for them. The man stopped her. "Hey! You just hit me in the head with a bat. Fair trade, you don't get shot in the head if I get your keys." He let go of her hand. She got the keys and tossed them to Ziva. They got the door unlocked and walked into the room. "Lots of guns. Big guns," Tony said, looking around. Emma saw a hallway. At the end was a computer room. She looked at it. "That's how we get the doors back open. We can find out what this place really is." The team looked down the hallway. They started towards it. The metal door began to close. They ran down the hallway. "You aren't gonna make it!" Emma exclaimed. She looked back at Tony. "Don't do it, Emma! Don't do-" He was too late. Emma slid on her knees, just like she had in Abby's lab, under the door. "Emma!" Gibbs yelled. The rest of the team didn't make it under.

**A/N: Sorry about the cliffhanger. My sister got hit in the head with a bat when she was five, and she didn't cry, so I guessed Emma wouldn't. Tony is never going to let her do anything interesting ever again after this. If she lives... **

**Please tell me what you think! I am willing to take any suggestions that you have. Thank you for reading!**


	39. Chapter 39

_**A**_**/N: Hey guys! I was able to get this written, so I know this doesn't make up for missing Saturday and Sunday. Thank you for your reviews and such. You're going to hate me by the end of this chapter. Please enjoy!**

"Maybe McGee should've come in," Emma said. She coughed a lot. Running made her out of breath, and her head was beginning to throb. She looked around at the room of computers. "Emma! What the hell were you thinking?" Tony asked. He was on the other side of the door. There were at least eight computers, each with something different on them. She walked to the other side of the room. She saw a button that said, 'Doors'. She looked around and pushed it. The door opened. Tony ducked under the door and walked in. "See, my thinking got the doors open."

"Your thinking could have gotten you killed. What if someone had been in here?"

"There's no 'what if' about it." Tony turned around and saw the man who had sold Ziva the oil. He had a gun pointed at them. "I'm going to need you to close those doors," he said to Emma. Tony looked down at her and saw her swallow, then clench her jaw. "Life's not fair. Because I'm going to need you to put that gun down before I do anything," Emma said.

"I will _not_ be bossed around by a five-year-old."

"I'm seven. And I think you did just get bossed around by a seven-year-old... girl to be exact. A little girl with a bad cough and a busted head. So, if you want me to do what you want, put the weapon down."

"Now that's embarrassing," Tony said. He smirked at the man. "How is that embarrassing?" The man asked.

"You just let a little girl intimidate you." Gibbs and Ziva were on either side of Tony and Emma. Emma looked up at Gibbs. He was smiling. "I'm not intimidated."

"Really? That shake in your voice says otherwise," Emma said. This man was outnumbered. "You're outnumbered, you know," Emma said. He turned the gun to her. She simply looked at it. She had a smirk on her face. "How do you figure?"

"Well for starters, its five against one. You have one gun. These three people," she motioned to Tony, Gibbs and Ziva, "Have guns. The other person, is a computer genius, but he carries a gun, too. Tony DiNozzo, here, is a pain in everybody's butt. However, he is a really good agent. Ziva David, is a ninja. That's all I have to say. Now, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. All I'm gonna say about him, don't mess with his team."

"That one gun, can hurt more that anything."

"Well, these doors won't close until that weapon is put down." Tony looked at Emma. Her light brown hair on the right side of her head wasn't light brown. It was dark with blood. Her light blue jacket had blood on it. "If you don't stop that bleeding soon, well... it won't be good," the man said.

"I'll be fine." She looked passed the man's shoulder. She smirked. "You're dead if you try anything, by the way," Tony said. The man looked back at McGee. When he wasn't looking, Ziva and Tony pulled out their guns. He turned back around. "Fine, I'll die." He put his finger on the trigger and fired the shot. Three bullets hit him. Emma let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Tony knelt down in front of her. "Hey, I swear you're turning into Ziva."

"She is not!" Ziva said. Emma looked up at them. She blinked a few times. "Tony, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" Tony cut her off.

"You know the rule. Never say you're sorry. Its a sign of weakness."

"I guess I'm weak, because... because... becau-" She collapsed. Tony caught her this time. He looked at her. She had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Tony. I'm sorry." She gave a shuddery breath and her eyes closed. "She's not breathing!" Tony yelled. McGee pulled out his phone to call an ambulance. Tony started CPR. He had never done it on a child, so he had to avoid crushing her. He put his ear up to her mouth. "Damn it! Em, please don't do this. Stay with me! Please!" Ziva had her jacket against Emma's bleeding head. "Her heartbeat is getting weaker," Ziva said. Gibbs took over the phone while McGee worked on the computers in the room. He kept looking back at Emma. "Em, please. Stay with me!" He checked her breathing again. He felt her exhale against his ear. The paramedics arrived. Emma sat up and coughed. It wasn't the same cough she had, it sounded horrible. It sounded like Tony had when he got the pneumonic plague. Her lips started turning blue. She tried to breath in but couldn't. Gibbs pulled Tony away from her. Tony tried to go against Gibbs' pull. "NO! I can't leave her! Emma!" Ziva got his other arm and helped. Tony watched as the paramedics tried to get Emma to lie back down. "What's your name?" A bald paramedic asked. He put his hand out. She wrote her name in his palm. "Okay, Emma, I need you to lie back down. Can you do that?" She shook her head. While that one was trying to get her to calm down, the other two were getting stretcher and breathing machine. Emma finally laid back. Tears were streaming down her face. They tried to put the mask on her, but she turned her head away. "Her head is busted. The strap will hurt it worse," Ziva said. The bald one turned her head and looked at her head. "Shit, she's lost a lot of blood with that. Tommy, we're going to have to hold the mask."

"Okay." They put her on the stretcher and held the mask to her face. She looked up at Tony. Tony's heart broke. Her eyes were wide with fear. They rolled her down the hallway. One of the paramedics stayed. "What happened?"

"She had a bad cough for about three days now. We haven't had time to get her to the doctor. The man at the front came up behind me with a bat. She jumped in front before it hit me. She ran down that hallway and slid underneath before the metal door closed. She coughed a lot after she ran. She just collapsed and stopped breathing," Tony explained. He was distracted. He kept looking down the hallway.

"And this man?" The paramedic motioned to the dead man on the floor. Tony pulled out his badge. "NCIS, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He fired first, but missed." The paramedic wrote something down in a notepad. Tony looked at him. "Is she going to be okay?" He asked.

"Do you want the truth? Or should I tell you what you want to hear?" Tony's heart dropped. He stared at the man. "Okay, her chances, with how old she is and how much blood she's lost, not to mention she completely stopped breathing while her lungs were in bad condition. The odds aren't in her favor. My guess, twenty percent chance."

**A/N: I know. You hate me. But we know Emma isn't frightened by a gun. That's a good thing. Please tell me what you think, what can be better, and any suggestions you have. Thank you for reading!**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Chapter 40! I got this up! Yay! Can I say that I caught up, now? Because catching up was rough work. Thanks for the reviews! Sorry about the short A/N. The next one will be longer. On with the show!**

Tony and Ziva stood on separate sides of the double doors in the emergency room. This was exactly why Tony didn't want Emma to go. Ziva looked over at Tony. He was holding Mary. She walked over to him. She grabbed his hand. He looked up at her. He didn't have tears in his eyes like she expected him to. "I don't find it fair. We try so hard to protect her. She saved my ass today- no my life- and now, she's here. Once again fighting for her life. We suck at this, Ziva."He looked stressed. She stepped closer to him. "Okay, so we are still getting the bang of things."

"Hang of things."

"That is what I meant. She will be okay," Ziva said. Tony tried to find a smile somewhere, but couldn't. He sighed and leaned back against the wall. Ziva stepped closer. She looked into his eyes. He tried to look away, but he couldn't. She gave him a forced smile, and broke their stare. She leaned against the wall beside him.

They waited for what seemed like decades. The doctor finally came out to talk to them. "She had a small hairline fracture on her skull. Not enough to do any permanent damage. Deep tissue bruise on her arm. Her chest is bruised from the CPR, but you did the right thing. Her airways closed, and during the transfer from the ambulance to the operating room, her right lung collapsed. She had pneumonia, and it is worse now. She wasn't getting any air. The lack of oxygen may have some long term effects on her brain."

"What kind of effects?" Tony asked.

"She may never walk again." Ziva gasped. Tony looked across the room. "She'll live, though, right?"

"I can't say. That is up to her and the big man upstairs." He walked back through the double doors. Tony and Ziva walked to Emma's room. She was wrapped from the bottom of her neck, all the way to her bellybutton. She had a breathing mask on, what looked like fifty IVs running, and her hair was stiff from the blood. She had stitches in the side of her head. The beeping of the heart monitor was steady. Tony sat down. He put Mary beside Emma. He took her hand. "Well, Em, here we are again." He shook his head and leaned back in the chair.

* * *

Tony had let go of Emma's hand sometime that night. They had been at the hospital since two. It was seven in the morning the next day. He heard Emma cough. He looked up and saw nurses trying to get her to breath normally again. When she did, she looked over at Tony. He looked into her eyes, but all he kept seeing was the look she gave him as they were taking her out of the room. "Hey, Em. How do you feel?" Tony asked. She took the mask off. "I can't feel my legs, Tony. Apparently, I may never walk again," Emma said. Her voice sounded really bad. "I'm sorry, Emma. I should've been the one who took the hit. Then you wouldn't have collapsed."

"Do you really think I was going to let you get hit in the head with a bat. The man tried to stop when he saw me, but it was too late. I'm fine." She started coughing again. The nurse beside her put the mask back on. Emma shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. Ziva got up and walked out the door. Tony sighed and followed. She stopped when she realized that Tony was following her. When she turned around, she had tears running down her face. "She is not strong enough to fight what ever she is sick with."

"If she fought a coma, she can fight pneumonia and a little bit of nerve damage," Tony said.

"That was different. She has grown up knowing how to fight that. She is not healthy enough to fight something like this. She did not get any nutrients when she ate or drank at the time she was sick. She either threw it up, or it was not absorbed. Tony, she's going to have to fight hard." Tony looked at Ziva. He wiped the tear from her cheek. "She'll fight, don't worry."

"I know she will, but what if it is not enough? What happens when she can no longer fight?" Ziva asked, barely above a whisper. Tony wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He put his mouth next to her ear. "She won't give up. Both you and me know she's too much of a smart ass to just lie down and accept reality. Death may say, 'I'm here for you.' Emma will respond, 'I'm sorry, but I rescheduled the pick-up for later.' She knows better than to give up." Tony let his words sink in, then he kissed her cheek. They walked back to Emma's room.

* * *

Emma was lying with her eyes closed. She pretended to be asleep. She heard someone walk in. When she opened her eyes, she saw a man. "Who are you?"

"I'm the leader of the weapon deal that was going on. You ruined it. I don't like my plans being ruined." He stepped closer to Emma. She grabbed the phone Tony had left with her. She dialed Ziva's number. She heard Ziva answer. "Well, I would do it all over again," Emma said, struggling to hold the cough in.

"Too bad that you can't. You won't walk again, you know that , right?" The man was in Emma's face now. She didn't move away. "You aren't healthy enough to fight this, Emma. If you survive the pneumonia, you still won't be able to walk. You just can't do it."

Emma propped up on her elbows. She took the mask all the way off. She got less than an inch away from his face. "Oh, yeah? Watch me," she said with a cough.

**A/N: Me? Kill Emma? If you thought I would do that, then you obviously don't know my way of writing yet. Please tell me what you think, what can be better, and if you have any suggestions. Chapter 40 is huge! Thank you so so so so much for reading!**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: Sorry I missed yesterday. I couldn't find any time what so ever. I will post two chapters today, and I might have to break my no-late-night-posts policy. Sorry. Well, please enjoy!**

Ziva answered her phone. Her and Tony were walking back in the hospital from going home to clean up. _"Well, I would do it all over again." _She heard Emma over the phone. Tony looked over at her. He saw her eyes widen. He ran down the hallway. He stepped in the door with his gun put up. "If you survive the pneumonia, you still won't be able to walk. You just can't do it." He stepped closer to the man. Then Emma took her mask off, got close to the man's face, and said, "Oh, yeah? Watch me." She started coughing and put the mask back on. Tony grabbed the handcuffs and cuffed the man. He called Gibbs. He and the man walked out of the room. Ziva walked in. "Hey, Emma. Do you feel any better?"

She shook her head. The nurses had washed her hair that morning. "I can't breathe on my own and watch what happens when I try to move my legs." She sat there with a strained look on her face. "See, nothing." Ziva sighed. She didn't know what to say to her. "When your pneumonia gets better, you will be able to work on walking again."

"But what if I never, ever walk again? What am I gonna do?" Emma asked. She started coughing again. "Emma, if you never walk again, you will still be Emma," Ziva said. Emma looked up at her. "Oh, I'm going to walk again. That man just told me I couldn't do it. That only makes me want to walk even more."

"Well, I have no doubt that you will be able to walk again," Ziva said. Emma smiled and closed her eyes. She was asleep in less than five minutes. Ziva stood up and walked to the parking lot. Tony was standing behind the cuffed man. She walked up behind him and heard him make some sort of movie reference. She smiled. "Why do you make everything into a movie reference?" Ziva asked.

"It makes things more fun," Tony said. He turned his head to look at her. "How's Emma?" Tony asked. Ziva sighed and stepped closer to him. "Her cough does not sound any better, and she still cannot use her legs."

"When her pneumonia gets better, we'll have to go back to work. But we've got a meeting with Vance after he returns in three weeks. I think its about why a little girl was with us during an investigation. We're in big trouble. Well, I won't rat Gibbs out, but I will chomp him out," Tony said.

"I thought it is 'chew him out'," Ziva said.

"It is. I was just seeing if you would catch that," Tony said with a smile. Ziva hit his arm. "Hey, as long as I'm here, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't flirt with each other," the man who came into Emma's room said. Tony looked at him and smirked. He looked at Ziva. She was smiling. Before either one of them knew it, they were kissing each other. The man groaned and Tony pulled back. He looked into Ziva's eyes. "Now that you've attacked each other's faces, can you shoot me now?"

"That can be arranged if you would like," Ziva said, pulling out her gun. Tony stopped her from raising the gun. He took it out of her hand and placed it back where it belonged. "Now, while I wait for McGeek to come pick this man up, you go back up to Emma's room." Ziva smiled and kissed him again.

* * *

Ziva and Tony had been taking turns going to be with Emma for two weeks. She was starting therapy today. They walked up to her room and saw her in a wheelchair. The nurse wasn't far behind them. When they arrived at the therapy room, the nurse rolled Emma over to a set of double bars. Emma raised her eyebrows at her. "Dr. Allen will be here in a few minutes."

Emma nodded and looked straight ahead. She turned to Tony and Ziva. "Ya' know, I always thought you would be in a wheelchair before me." Tony glared at her. She didn't smile, or give any sign of joking. "I'm being serious."

"Yeah, I figured that out," Tony said. A large man with glasses and thinning hair walked over to Emma. "Hello, my name is-" Emma cut him off.

"Let me guess, Dr. Allen?" He looked over at Tony and Ziva. They were astounded that she had interrupted him like that. "Yes, what's your name?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow."

"I doubt that. Now, please tell me your name."

"Emma." She coughed a few times. The man wrote something on the form on his clip board. "Okay, Emma. I'm going to do some simple exercises on your legs. Okay, can you wiggle your toes?" Emma stared at the man. She sat there for a few seconds. "No. I can't wiggle my toes. I can't move my foot. I can't bend my knee, and I can't lift my leg. I've lost all feeling."

"How did you know what I was going to ask you to do?" Dr. Allen asked.

"I'm magic... Just kidding, I can see the reflection in your glasses." She raised her eyebrows at him. He sighed and marked things on his clip board. The rest of the therapy went like that. By the end, Dr. Allen probably had a major migraine. Emma had a satisfied look on her face. When she got back to the room. The nurse put her on the bed and walked out. Tony shut the door. He turned to Emma. "What the hell was that?!" He yelled.

"That, my dear Tony, was called therapy. It was supposed to help me walk again, but as you can see, I'M STILL PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN!" She coughed a few times. Tony glared at her. She glared back. "It would probably have gone better if you hadn't been such a smart ass."

"Well, my bad for being just a little angry at the fact that I, once again, am in this hospital. I've been in a coma, I've almost been killed, I thought you were dead, I saved your butt from a bat that could've knocked your head to Pennsylvania, I had pneumonia and my lung collapsed, and now, I can't walk. I've had a rough two months, Tony. Not to mention the fact that my mother hasn't called me, E-mailed me, or even sent me a letter since she left. I think I deserved at least one moment when I could let my anger out."

"Do you know how that little scene back there makes us look? It makes us look like we don't care how you act," Tony said. Emma looked at him. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be standing there. You would be dead. This is the thanks I get for saving you. I don't even get a little bit of a reason to be mad?" She let a tear roll down her face. She rolled over with much trouble and sobbed into her pillow.

**A/N: Little tension there... I'll have another chapter up later. I've got the rest of the evening off. But tomorrow starts the busy schedule again. Please tell me what you think! I will take suggestions or questions. Thank you for reading!**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: Hey guys! So not too much space in between the two chapters I owe you! Sorry that I have to owe you two a day. I will have to stop doing that. I promise that I will. **

**So, a little tension between Tony and Emma in the last chapter. I don't think her sarcasm helps much in the situation that she is pissed off. Things turn out better for her in this chapter. Vance has few things to say about why Emma was with them... Can't be good. Well, thank you for the reviews follows and favorites! I appreciate them! On with the show. Please Enjoy!**

* * *

Tony sat on the balcony outside his room. He had a glass in his hand. Ziva walked out. She had to stop him before he made himself drunk. She already had his OSU shirt on. "I screwed up, didn't I?" He asked her. She looked at him and knelt down. She grabbed the drink from his hand. She placed it on the table. She stood up and poured the rest of the wine over the side of the balcony. She finished the rest of what was in his glass. "You did not screw up. Were you a little hard on her? Yes. But you did not screw up," Ziva said. She sat down on his lap, facing away. He put his hands on her hips. "Do you think she'll ever talk to me again?"

"Yes. She will." Tony's hands moved under her shirt. She shivered and turned in his lap. She felt a bulge in his pants. She took care of the buttons on his shirt. He stood up and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her on the bed. Their kisses became more passionate. She sat up and took care of his pants. Since she was already dressed for bed, well, she wasn't dressed anymore, her clothes were easy to remove. Tony was still in his work clothes. Ziva scooted back and laid back down. Tony crawled on top of her. He kissed her collar bone. She shivered.

Tony kissed down her body to just below her belly button. He made his way back up her body and kissed the scar between her breasts. She had always hated that scar. Tony loved all of them. They made him love her all over again. The scars showed how strong she was. He looked into her eyes and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

* * *

"Tony? Tony? HEY DINOZZO?" Tony snapped awake. He looked up at Ziva. She was already dressed for the day. It was saturday. "Why are you up so early?" He grumbled, rolling over.

"The hospital just called. Emma can move her legs, completely. They are running tests now to see exactly where she had regained feeling." Tony's eyes opened wide. He got out of bed and got in the shower. He put a pair of jeans on and a sweatshirt. He and Ziva got into the car.

They walked into Emma's room. She hadn't talked to Tony since that Monday, since they had fought. The rehabilitation had been hard. She struggled a lot, and the doctors were surprised she was moving by now. She was in a wheelchair, but she was moving her legs on her own. They took her back to therapy. Dr. Allen came in. She gave him a sarcastic smile. "What's up, Doc?" She asked. He looked at her. Emma had been driving the whole medical staff crazy for the past week. She had been unleashing her sarcasm left and right. Tony couldn't help but smile. She looked over at him and held back her laugh. "So, you can move your legs?"

"No, I have a robot moving them for me," Emma said, keeping a serious expression the whole time. Dr. Allen sighed. He did simple moving exercises on her. "Okay, I need you to stand up and hold onto these rails." He helped her up and moved the wheelchair. She held onto the double rails and stood there. "Emma, I need you to walk to the other end of the rails." She took a step and an expression of pain came on her face. "Does it hurt?" Dr. Allen asked.

"No, I like making this face. Yes, it hurts! Every step feels like needles being stuck in my legs." Dr. Allen put something down on the paper and told her to keep going. She stopped halfway and took a breather. "You okay, Em?" Tony asked. She nodded. Tony saw sweat forming. When she made it to the end, Dr. Allen told her to go back now. "Really?!" She asked.

"Yes, really." Emma ended up with less pain the more she went. She wanted to stay after she was supposed to, but Tony told her it wasn't a good idea. They went back to the room. Emma walked over to her bed on her own. Dr. Allen asked Tony and Ziva to step outside for a minute. "It is amazing that she has regained feeling already."

"She didn't go terribly long without oxygen," Tony said.

"That doesn't matter. Her nerves should be fried. She really shouldn't be walking, but she is capable, so we will continue on the road to recovery," Dr. Allen said. He looked down at his clip board. "She will have to learn how to walk on her own all over again. She'll have to deal with the pain, and there will be days when she thinks staying in a wheelchair will be easier. We'll start her with the bars, then crutches with her own pace, then a treadmill with a set pace. She's going to have to build her leg muscles up. They deteriorated slightly."

"How long until she can go home?" Ziva asked.

"Any day now. We think we should wait until she can walk with crutches. That should be next week, if she continues the way that she is." They thanked him and went back into Emma's room. She was smiling. Tony sat down by her. "I'm sorry about the other day, Em," Tony said.

"You know the rule. I forgive you, anyways," Emma said. Tony smiled and kissed the side of her head. She had just gotten her stitches out. "You're going to get to go home soon," Tony said.

"Can we stay out of the hospital for a while, please?" Emma asked. She looked up at Tony. He smiled and patted her shoulder. "Of course."

* * *

Tony and Ziva walked into Vance's office. McGee and Gibbs followed close behind. When they sat down, Vance got right to business. "I want to know why a seven-year-old was involved in an undercover investigation."

"Nothing was supposed to happen. She was supposed to go into the store with Ziva then come out and get into the car. She found a room with weapons in it and alerted us. She also alerted the people who were working the weapon deal, on accident. They pressed a button and large, metal doors started closing. The team went in, and so did Emma. I had my back turned, Emma saw a man coming with a bat. She jumped in front of me before the bat hit. She tried to block it with her arm, but it still hit her head.

"I turned around and shot the man in the knee. We went into the weapon room, and down a hallway. At the end of the hallway, was a computer room. A metal door started closing. We ran down the hallway. Emma pointed out that we weren't going to make it. She slid under the door before it closed. She found the way to open the doors. We walked in, a man pointed a gun at us, Emma bitched at him for about ten minutes, he took the shot. We shot him. He missed. Emma collapsed, then stopped breathing. I performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. They questioned, loaded Emma up, and took her to the hospital. She's fine. She is learning to walk again," Tony told the story. Vance glared at the team. "Gibbs, why was she there in the first place?"

"That's what I want to know," Tony mumbled under his breath.

"What was that, Agent DiNozzo?" Vance asked. Tony shook his head and relaxed. He felt Ziva's hand lock with his. "She was already there. We needed more cover than just a woman going in to buy oil. She was acting as Ziva's daughter."

"Why the hell did you need to do that?" Vance was getting impatient. Gibbs sighed. "It was a mistake. It won't happen again," Gibbs said.

"Damn right it won't. I will not have my agency being responsible for things like this, Gibbs." The team nodded and stood up. They walked out. Tony pulled Gibbs aside. "I told you she didn't need to be there," Tony said. Gibbs glared into Tony's eyes with his bright blue eyes. "I know that now. Rule fifty-one, DiNozzo. I was wrong. I feel terrible about it."

"Really? Do you? Because you really should've thought things through," Tony said. Gibbs glared at him. "I did. She wasn't supposed to do any of that shit that she did. I couldn't control the fact that she decided to come with us. She saved your ass, though. Be happy Emma is brave. You would be dead if she wasn't." Gibbs pried Tony's hands from his jacket. Tony stood there for a few minutes. He thought about what Gibbs had said. She was brave, and he would be dead if not for her. Emma didn't deserve all of this crap she had to go through. He was the reason for most of it. He sighed and walked down to the bullpen.

* * *

**A/N: At least she can walk again! Vance is not happy... at all. Tony getting a little physical with Gibbs. So. Much. Drama. Gotta love Emma's sarcasm, though. Please tell me what you think! I am open to suggestions and questions that you have! Thank you soooo much for reading!**


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: Hey people! So, thank you for your reviews! I appreciate them! We get to see into Emma's personal school life in this chapter. Just a few minutes, but enough to meet her best friend and for them to get in trouble. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Emma was asleep on the couch. She made enough progress to go home on crutches. Tony stared at her from the kitchen. "Do you think she's really asleep?" He asked. Ziva looked up from the book she was reading. "Yes. I think she is really asleep, Tony."

"Do you think I should test this theory of her being asleep?" He asked as he grabbed a muffin. He pulled his arm back like he was about to throw it. "Anthony DiNozzo!" Ziva said through clenched teeth. He looked at her. She was glaring at him. He sighed and took a bite of his muffin. He went and sat down at the end of the couch. "Tony, if you change this channel, I have two crutches and I'm not afraid to use them," Emma said. He stood up and stood in front of her. "You might not be afraid, but will you?" She grabbed her crutch off the floor and rammed it into his stomach. He bent over and sat back down. "Yes, I will."

"Little late there, Emma," he said. She rolled over on her back and smiled at him. "What's this I heard about a meeting with Vance last week?" Emma asked. Tony looked over at her. "He just had a few questions. Nothing serious."

"I also heard you had a word with Gibbs afterward," Emma said.

"Yeah, he said he felt bad about what happened."

"That doesn't count as an apology, so he still hasn't broken a rule. Does he always follow his rules?" Emma asked. Tony nodded. "Most of the time, anyway." Ziva came and sat down beside Tony. She looked stressed. "Figured out where you want to get married yet?" Tony asked. She shook her head. "I do not know if I want it in a church, outside, or somewhere else. I think I will rule out an outdoor wedding." Tony took her hand. He sighed and looked into her eyes. "Don't stress about this. We can get married in our own backyard for all I care. As long we're married at the end of that day, I'm happy." Ziva smiled and kissed him. Emma rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out like she was disgusted. "Have you found a dress yet, Ziva?" Emma asked.

"No. I was thinking you could come with me when I decide to go look for one." Emma's face brightened up. Ziva smiled. "I think Abby would have to go, too."

"Well, of course. You can't choose a wedding dress without your best friend," Emma said. Ziva laughed. "That is true," she said. Emma sat up straight and looked ahead at the TV. "When were you planning on going?" Emma asked.

"Sometime next week, maybe," Ziva said. She felt Tony give her hand a squeeze. She looked at him. "I really do not know about this whole location thing." He rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek.

* * *

Emma had to return to school, even though she had crutches. Tony walked her in the first day. He carried her backpack. She walked, or hobbled, into the classroom. She put her head down to avoid the stares. Tony had an idea. He adjusted his jacket to where his badge and gun were showing. He knew that would impress a few people. He heard some amazed gasps when he walked by. He sat Emma's backpack by her desk. He told her to have a good day and went to talk to her teacher. Emma's best friend, Macy, leaned over. "Who's that?" She asked.

"Macy, that is very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He works for NCIS. He's my legal guardian while my mom's in Australia."

"I thought that woman, um... what's her name?" Macy thought for a second. Then she snapped her fingers and pointed at Emma, "Ziva! I thought she was your legal guardian."

"She is. But Tony is her fiance`. You'll have to meet them one day," Emma said.

"Yeah, I will. So, what happened to you? You like abandoned me here for three weeks. I had to deal with George all on my own. Do you know how hard that is?" Macy asked. Emma turned to look into her friend's blue-green eyes. "I seem to be getting a vision. Oh, yeah. It's about you leaving me for two months to go to some fancy place in the mountains. Anyways, I was sick. I had a real bad cough. Then, we were under- I mean walking in a store and this man came up behind Tony with a bat. I jumped in front of him and got hit in the arm and head. Then, something crazy happened and I like stopped breathing. Then I was told I may never walk again, but I'm walking now."

Macy gave Emma a look as if she was crazy. Emma raised her eyebrows. They both laughed. "Emma, Macy, that's enough," their teacher said. Emma looked up at Tony. He gave her a warning glance. She smiled. He said a few more things to the teacher and walked out. Emma looked over at Macy. Macy looked up from her work. "We've got so much to discuss," Macy said. Emma nodded. They went back to their math.

Sometime in the middle of class, Emma felt a paper ball hit her head. She turned in her chair to see George snickering. He sat alone in a corner. "See, George? This is why you're in a corner," Macy said with a smile. Emma tilted her head to the side. "Because nobody likes you," Emma said. The look on his face was priceless. Macy and Emma turned to each other and did their handshake. George turned in his chair and pouted. Macy's pencil broke. "Hey, Emma? Do you have another pencil I can use?" She asked. She tried to avoid the teacher's glare. Emma nodded and pulled out a pencil, she handed it to Macy. "Thanks."

"No problem." George raised his hand. Emma knew where this was going. "Yes, George?" The teacher asked.

"Emma and Macy are distracting me from doing my work. They're talking," George whined. The teacher walked over to Macy's desk. "Girls, stop being distracting. Some people still have work to do. I know you two work fast, but others don't." George had a smug expression on his face. Emma didn't turn around, but she said, "George, if you don't get that look off your face, I will tell the whole class you still suck your thumb. Oops, looks like I just did." She turned in her chair and winked at him. He glared at her. Macy laughed above the rest of the class. The teacher was writing something on a slip of paper. She handed it to Emma. "Please give this to your parents, Emma." Emma looked at the slip of paper. She gave a sideways smirk at Macy. When the teacher's back was turned, Macy asked, "You just found a loop-hole, didn't you?"

"Have you met me? Of course I did." Macy received one next. She sighed and looked at the paper. "I don't have a loop-hole. My parents are in the United States." Emma grabbed Macy's paper. She looked at it. They both said, 'Your child is being distracting in class and is disturbing the other students from learning. Please sign and return to authorize discipline actions that will be taken. Actions are listed below:' and then it went into a long list of things Emma didn't want to read. "Okay, my partner in crime. All you have to do is get them to sign in pencil. Then you can go back and mark the 'Do Not take Disciplinary Actions'. Then she'll believe your parents punished you on their own."

"One problem. My parents will kill me if they find out I got in trouble," Macy said. Emma turned her head, slowly, to look at Macy. They both laughed. Macy got into way too much trouble for her parents to care about talking too much. They pretended to be clearing their throats when the teacher looked at them. They sighed when she finally handed them more work.

* * *

**A/N: I used a conversation from my first grade year. I remember it because me and my friend got into soooooooo much trouble in that one day. **

**please tell me what you think! I love all of your reviews! Thank you for reading!**


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: Okay, so I hope everyone had a fun (and full of fireworks and explosions) 4th of July! I certainly did! We get some biiiigggg news in this chapter. Something all of you have been waiting for. Thank you for all your reviews, follows and favorites! I love all your reviews and love to read them, as well. On with the show, I suppose!**

* * *

Emma and Macy sat on the sidewalk while waiting to be picked up. Macy was eating an apple. "Why are you always eating?" Emma asked.

"Because I'm always hungry," Macy said. Emma scoffed and hit her on the back of the head. Macy stopped with her mouth open and the apple right in front of her mouth. She moved her eyes over to Emma. "Did you just hit me on the back of the head?" Macy questioned.

"Yep." Emma took the apple from her friend's hand. She took a huge bite out of it. Emma wiped her mouth with her sleeve and handed the apple back to Macy. Macy looked at the apple. "I would finish that, but I don't want to get sick," Macy said. She tossed the apple over her shoulder. It landed in the garbage can. "We've got that shot down," Emma said. Macy nodded. Emma brought her knees up to her chest. She flinched when she reached a certain point. "Common sense would tell you not to do that if it hurt," Macy said.

"Common sense doesn't speak to me anymore. I guess it just doesn't like me," Emma said. Macy smiled. Tony pulled the car up to the sidewalk. "Macy, meet Tony. Tony, meet Macy. She is my un-biological sister." Tony smiled and stuck his hand out. Macy looked at the hand and then at Tony. "Oh! I'm supppsed to shake it! That makes more since," Macy said. Tony looked at Macy. She had blond, super curly hair, blue-green eyes and Tony noticed she had two piercings in her ears. She had a darker complexion than Emma, then again, anyone would. She wore a grey and white sweater, red jeans, black boots similar to Emma's, but without the studs. Tony looked closer at her necklace. It was a locket with an American flag on it. Nice necklace," he said. He noticed Emma give him a glance. "Thanks. It was my dad's. This was all that was found of him after an invasion at his camp in Afghanistan."

"I'm sorry, Macy," Tony said. Macy nodded and stood up. She picked up her bag and put it on her shoulder. "It was nice to meet you. Bye, Emma."

"Bye, Macy." Emma stood up with much difficulty. Tony helped her into the car. "So, what's her story?" Tony asked.

"She's an only child. Her twin sister died in a car wreck two years ago. She lives with her mom and step-dad. Her parents got a divorce when she was five. She heard about her dad four months ago. She knows how to defend herself, she will say what's on her mind and she's really smart." Emma pulled her notebook out of her backpack. The sheet of paper she had received fell on the seat. Emma looked at it. She knew she needed to give it to Tony, but she decided against it. She folded the paper back up, and put it in her bag.

* * *

A few weeks went by, and Emma was walking on her own now. No crutches. She had a limp, but that was normal. She woke up one morning and decided to open her window. She felt the cold December air on her skin. Thank goodness it was Saturday. Emma caught a chill and closed the window. She opened her door and tiptoed past Tony and Ziva's room. She climbed the stairs to her hideaway. She had been working on Christmas music to play. She pulled down a book and sat down at the piano.

Ziva came out of the bathroom. "Tony, what day is it?" She asked.

"December fourteenth. Why?"

"Oh, um... no reason," she said, turning back to the bathroom. Tony heard something in her voice. He couldn't tell if it was worry or excitement. "Ziva, what aren't you telling me?" he asked, standing up and walking behind her. He saw her counting on her fingers. She froze when she was done counting. "We might have a problem. Well, not a problem, but something might be happening."

"Ziva, what?" Tony asked, turning her around. Ziva smiled and took a deep breath. "I missed my period. Do you know what that means?" Tony thought for a minute and then froze. He stared at her wide-eyed. She smiled and pulled his hands to her abdomen. She leaned forward and kissed him. "I still do not know for sure, but I think there is a pretty good chance."

"Wow, this is... I'm just..." Tony was at a loss for words. Ziva smiled and kissed him again. She left him standing there as she took a shower. He was still standing there when she got out. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking. This is great!" He exclaimed. Ziva smiled. She got dressed for the day. She, Emma and Abby were supposed to be looking for a dress, flowers and decorations. She went out to buy a pregnancy test, first. She would use one of these, and then go to a doctor later. She thought about her wedding. Ziva had decided for the reception to be at a very nice hotel in the downtown area. She already had the reservations.

Tony took a shower and walked to Emma's room. She wasn't in there. He walked to her hideaway and heard the song 'O Christmas Tree'. He knocked on the door and walked in. Emma stopped playing and turned around. "Good morning, Emma," Tony said.

"Good morning. So, what are you planning on doing today while we're gone?" Emma asked. Tony shrugged his shoulders. He sat down on the hammock. "You're not going to pull that whole Santa Claus thing one me, are you? Me and Macy are the only seven-year-old who don't believe in him. I found out because my mom isn't very quiet, and Macy was never told about Santa."

"I was planning on it, but I guess not. You should still make a Christmas list. Just so we know what to get you." Emma got up and walked over to her desk. She pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Tony. He read down the list. "A puppy?" He asked her. She nodded. "Or a dog." Tony blinked a few times and read down the rest of the list. She didn't have a lot of things. "I'll see what we can do," Tony said. She smiled and they walked down to the kitchen. Tony started making pancakes. "Where's Ziva?" Emma asked.

"She had to run out and get something. She should be back any minute." Right when he said that, Ziva walked through the front door. She smiled at them and climbed the stairs. Tony had a big smile on his face. He continued with breakfast.

* * *

Ziva looked at the stick. Just what she though. Positive. She smiled and walked out of the bathroom. She ran down the stairs and showed Tony the test. He looked at the test and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist. He lifted her up and kissed her. "This is great!" Tony exclaimed.

"I made a doctors' appointment for Tuesday. They will make sure, and tell me how far along I am. Abby is going to be excited." Ziva said. Emma cleared her throat. Tony turned to her. She was waiting for them to tell her what was going on. "Emma, Ziva's pregnant."

"Meaning, like she's got a little human growing inside of her?"

"Yes, if that is how you would like to put it," Ziva said. Emma's face brightened. She smiled her, somewhat still toothless, smile. Tony finished cooking, and they all sat at the breakfast bar. "So, do you already have names picked out?" Emma asked.

"We just found out, Emma. Why would we have names picked out?" Tony asked.

"Because I already know what I'm naming my kids when I grow up."

"What are you naming your kids?" Ziva asked.

"If I have a boy, his name will be Teddy James. My brother and daddy's names. If I have a girl, Reagan Macy. I like the name Reagan and Macy is my best friend." Emma took a sip of her orange juice. Tony smiled. "We'll start thinking right after breakfast."

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you go. Baby DiNozzo is on the way. How much will Abby freak out? Better question, how much will Gibbs freak out? Dun dun dun. We'll discover that in the future chapters. Please tell me what you think! I already have gender picked out, but I'm willing to take votes. Boy or Girl? Also include name suggestions as well. I have names, but I want to hear your ideas. Thank you for reading!**


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: Internet crashed over the weekend. Sorry. That was something I couldn't control. Well, I appreciate all of your reviews, and messages you have sent! I have gender(s) picked out, and I will accept a few more name suggestions. I will let you vote on names in one of the next chapter. Please enjoy!**

* * *

"I am not sure about this one, Emma," Ziva said. She was standing in front of the mirror. She had the third wedding dress on. All of them looked awkward on her because of the style. "I haven't liked a single one. Let me choose the next one, okay?" Emma asked. She walked back with the woman who had been helping them. She smiled when she found one. The lady took it off the rack and walked back to the room. Ziva looked at it and gave Emma a doubtful look. "Just try it," Emma said. Ziva went into the dressing room. When she came out, Emma smiled. "Oh, my God. Ziva, that's gorgeous on you!" Abby said. Ziva stepped in front of the mirror and gasped. She was wearing a strapless gown that hugged her curves at the top, and flowed freely from the waist down. It had a navy blue lace design going about halfway down the skirt from the waist. It was simple, but still had some life to it. "I do not know. My scars show on my back," Ziva said. Emma thought for a minute. She snapped her fingers and walked to the lady. She went into the dressing room and came out in her own dress. It was navy blue. Her scar from her lung surgery was showing. Not all the way, but most of it. The scars on the top of her back showed, and the one on her leg. She stood by Ziva in front of the mirror. "We'll show our scars together. You're hair will cover some of them, and the veil provides some sort of cover. Mine pretty much show."

"Your hair goes halfway down your back, Emma. It covers your," Ziva said. Emma nodded. Her hair was really long. She took her hair down and let it fall. "The scars on my shoulders aren't covered, the one on my chest isn't covered and the one on my leg isn't covered." She pulled a stool over to them. She stood on it and pulled Ziva's hair down. "The one on your shoulder blade isn't covered. And only a little part of your really bad scar is showing." She put a tiara with a veil in Ziva's hair. "The veil covers the tiny part that is showing. You have one scar showing, Ziva. _One._ I have five. The dress is perfect on you. It even has lace that matches the color of the Brides' maids and groom. _Perfect. _Can you point out any other flaws?" Emma asked. She sounded angry. _"_How will it look when I am pregnant?" Ziva whispered.

"Ziva, you'll only be a few months pregnant. You'll barely be showing," Emma whispered back. Emma jumped down from the stool and regretted it right when she landed. A sharp pain went up her legs. She closed her eyes and tried not to cry. "She wants this one," Abby said.

* * *

Ziva and Emma walked into the house after shopping with Abby. Ziva had decided not to tell her she was pregnant just yet. She wanted to make sure. Emma's jaw dropped as they looked around the room. Tony had decorated while they were gone. "Tony, this is amazing!" Emma exclaimed. He put a tree up, lights were up and holly was up as well. He smiled. Ziva looked around the room. "What do ya' think?" He asked her.

"This is incredible!" She walked over and kissed him. He smiled against her lips. They watched a movie and ate pizza that night.

Ziva woke up Tuesday morning. She looked up at the clock. Six o' clock. She sighed and stood up. She immediately felt sick. She walked to the bathroom and threw up. Tony opened the door. He sat down on the floor beside her. He held her hair out of the way and rubbed her back. She flushed the toilet and sighed. "Great. Morning sickness. That means I am farther along than I thought." Tony ran his fingers through her hair. She leaned back over the toilet. Tony held her hair back. When she thought she was done, she stood up and got in the shower. Tony pulled a pair of sweatpants on. He walked into Emma's room. "Okay! Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty!" He yelled. Emma woke up and glared at him. "Come on, we aren't even going to make you go to daycare today. You get to come to work with us." She didn't get up. Tony sighed. He walked over to her bed. "Tony, you really need to shave," Emma said. He ran his hands down his face. "Yeah, I probably should. Come on, time to get up. I'm serious."

"Fine." She got up and went to the bathroom. He smiled and went down to make breakfast. He made scrambled eggs and bacon. Ziva walked down first. She wrapped her arms around him. "It'll be okay, Ziva. At least you know you'll get good news at the doctor today." He kissed the top of her head and went to take a shower. Emma came bounding down the stairs. She had clothes on that made it look like she was going to Antarctica. "Its snowing! I love the snow!" She ran out the back door. Ziva followed. "Emma! Come eat breakfast, first!" She yelled. Emma walked back into the house. She took her boots, hat and coat off. She sat down and ate breakfast.

Tony walked into the building with Emma. He was shivering. "Tony, it was a twenty yard walk. How are you cold?" Emma asked.

"I don't like cold weather." She stared up at him. His teeth were chattering. "Then why do you live here?" Emma asked. He shrugged his shoulders. He sat down at his desk. "Where's Ziva?" McGee asked.

"Doctor. She hasn't been feeling well," Tony said. Emma couldn't believe he could lie so easily. Gibbs walked in. "Ziva?" He asked Tony.

"Doctor," Tony said. He gave Tony a confused look and sat down at his desk.

* * *

"Everything looks good! You're about eight weeks, and... oh, I see two embryos." Ziva brought her head up. She stared at the screen. There were two spots on the screen. "Did you just say two?" The nurse nodded. "As in two?" Another nod. "As in I am having twins?" She stared in disbelief at the nurse. When everything was done, Ziva sat up. "Since my fiance` will come to the rest of them, is it possible that you do not say anything about them being twins until we learn the genders? I want to surprise him."

"Of course! I'm sure he will be thrilled!" Ziva thanked her and went to pick up her vitamins from the counter. Her phone started ringing. "Hey, Tony."

"You need to get here. Double homicide. Gibbs is waiting and we all know how much he loves that." She got into her car and started driving. "How was it?" He asked.

"Well, she said everything looked good. I am about eight weeks along." She turned a sharp corner. Her tires squealing. "Please be careful," Tony said.

"I will."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you, too," Ziva said, smiling. She hung up and pulled into the parking lot. She walked into the bullpen. Gibbs passed her. He handed her the camera bag. She turned around and stepped back into the elevator. Tony took her hand. She smiled at him. He turned and kissed her. Gibbs turned around and head slapped both of them. "I still don't understand why she gets the soft touch," Tony said.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, twins! You'll get the genders in one of the next chapter, and I will give you two choices for each one. Please tell me what you think! I'm still taking name suggestions! Sorry about the whole internet crash and stuff. I can try to get another chapter up tonight, if you want me to. Thank you for reading!**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: 130 reviews! I'm like excited about that! Not to mention the fact that we are almost to chapter 50! Thanks for the reviews and such. Also thanks for the messages. I've got names chosen and I will let you vote soon! If you are unhappy with the names, I'm sorry. But I did count all of the name suggestions. Most of them, you sent in messages. I've got two names for each twin. I'll let you choose! **

**We've got a little bit of a situation between Ziva and McGee in this chapter. Something that probably won't make sense, but it is important to the next chapter. Let's just say, it involves the need for a computer nerd and a person like Ziva... being an under cover married couple. Kind of like Tony and Ziva eight years ago, but much less... um, hot. I promise it will all work out in the end. Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Abby, we've got big news!" Tony said, walking in with Ziva. They had come down to get Emma. Abby looked at them, waiting for the news. "We're having a baby," Tony said. Abby's eyes widened. She ran over and hugged Tony. "Can't breathe, Abs." She let go and turned to Ziva. She hugged her. "Oh, my God! When did you find out? How far along are you? Are you as totally excited as I am? Have you told Gibbs yet?"

"Told Gibbs what?" Gibbs asked, walking in. Tony shook his head at Abby. "That... Christmas dinner is at their house this year," Abby said. Tony glared at her. He didn't want dinner to be at their house. Too late now. "How 'bout you tell Gibbs what you found," Gibbs said.

"Fingerprints on the gun. I'm running them now, and I should have a match right..." Her computer beeped. "Now." She put the results on the big screen. "And the lucky winner is... John Bradey, one of our victims. Well, that was anti-climactic."

"He killed Cameron and then himself?" Tony asked. Abby nodded. "That's what it looks like. But, the bullet trajectory isn't where he could have killed himself."

"So, our killer shot him first, then put the dead guy's hand on the gun and killed the wife?" Tony asked. Abby nodded. "Good work, Abs," Gibbs said. He handed her a cup of Caf-Pow. "Will you send McGee down here? I need help with this laptop."

"You don't need help, Abs. You just want to see McGee," Tony said. Abby smiled and turned around. Ziva stayed behind. When she made sure they were gone, she turned to Abby. "It is twins, Abby."

"That's like, double the excitement! Did you tell Tony?" Abby asked. Ziva shook her head. "He thinks I am just having one. He will find out when we find out the genders." Abby smiled. She hugged Ziva one more time. Ziva went back up to the bullpen.

* * *

Later that day, McGee and Abby walked into the bullpen. "Gibbs, we've got a problem," Abby said. Gibbs looked up from the file. "Our dead marines, belonged to a terrorist group. They're supposed to be meeting with their leader tomorrow. We found something in an E-mail that stated if they don't show, he would release a toxic fume across D.C.," McGee explained.

"They've never met face-to-face. Apparently, he is paying their hotel fee and is expecting them to go to Pennsylvania for a group meeting. Its something about a major attack being planned on the Pentagon," Abby said.

"So, they're going to blow up the pentagon?" Tony asked.

"No, they're going to hack into it," Abby said. Tony looked over at them. "It's the Pentagon. Nobody can hack into it."

"Except our two dead marines. Tony, they worked in the Pentagon," Ziva said. She was sitting on the edge of Gibbs' desk with her feet on the edge of her own. She leaned over his computer and looked at the file Abby handed Gibbs. "Cameron was security and John was a computer geek for the Pentagon," she said. Gibbs read over the file. "So, we send Ziva and McGee in their place." All four of them looked at him. Emma had her headphones in. She wasn't allowed to hear any information anymore. Vance had declared it after the whole undercover thing. "Wait, send Ziva with McGoo? As a married couple? To Pennsylvania?" Tony asked. Gibbs nodded. Ziva was standing now. "To share a room?" Ziva asked. Gibbs nodded again. "And we go to this terrorist meeting to hack into the Pentagon?" McGee asked.

"And act like a married couple?" Tony asked again. Gibbs sighed. "We need someone good with computers. We need a person capable of acting like security for the most secure building in the United States."

"But as a married couple?" Tony asked. Ziva wasn't thrilled either. "Okay, you're going on this mission. Get over it. I'm going to talk to the director about it. While I'm gone, get your crap together and figure this out." He stood up. When he was gone, Tony yelled, "Campfire! All of you!" They pulled chairs to the center of the bullpen. When they were all seated, they just stared at each other. "We can't argue with him. So, let's get down to business. You two are going to Pennsylvania as married terrorists. You're sharing a room, and will probably be under surveillance. That means you'll have to share a bed. Do we know how long these two have been married?" Tony asked.

"Five months. And we found some pretty... interesting texts between the two," Abby said. Tony lowered his head. "Damn. So that means..." he trailed off.

"Yep," McGee said. Tony looked back up. "We will have to..." Ziva stopped.

"Uh-huh," Abby said.

"Be like me and Ziva eight years ago?" Tony asked. Abby nodded. "Great, that's just perfect!" Tony said sarcastically. He looked at McGee. "Follow me, Tim." They walked to the elevator. Ziva looked at Abby. "Is this seriously going to happen?" Ziva asked. Abby nodded. "Oh, my God. So, they will be watching us? Tony and Gibbs will be watching us? They will find out about me being pregnant! I have morning sickness!"

"I think we have more pressing matters at hand, Ziva!" Abby exclaimed. She thought for a minute. "Screw it. Just don't have sex with him. Fake it. Keep a sheet between the two of you." She stormed out of the bullpen.

* * *

Tony flipped the switch in the elevator. McGee was pacing. "McGee... so many things to say. Okay, One- Don't mention her scars. Two- Don't you dare have real sex with her. Three- Morning sickness, hold her hair away from her face. Four- Don't wake her up. She sleeps with a gun under her pillow. Five- You sleep as far away from her as possible. Six- Watch where your hands go. Last, be careful. Please. She's pregnant. Don't let her do anything stupid. And if she has nightmares, then you have permission to wake her up."

"She's pregnant? She sleeps with a gun under her pillow? I have to deal with her puking? She has scars?" McGee asked. He had stopped pacing. "Yes, she's pregnant. She will blow your head off with the gun. You have to look like a concerned husband. Just don't mention the scars," Tony said. He flipped the switch again. They walked back into the bullpen to see Abby storming off. McGee followed her. Tony sat down in his chair. Ziva was at a loss for words. Tony grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I told him all of my rules for you."

"And those are?" Ziva asked. Tony smiled. "No mention of scars. No real sex. Hold your hair back in morning sickness. Don't wake you up because of the whole gun under of the pillow. He sleeps as far away from you as possible. Watch the hands. And to make sure you stay safe." Ziva smiled and hugged him. He kissed the top of her head. Gibbs came back down. "Got everything worked out?" He asked. Tony nodded. "Good, because we leave in three hours." Ziva pulled back and looked down at Emma. She knelt down beside her. "Can you spend the night at Macy's tonight? Just tonight. Tony will be back tomorrow."

"Yeah. I'll have to call her, but I'm pretty sure she'll say yes." Emma stood up and stretched. The three of them walked to the elevator. "McGee will bring everything we need. Tags, phones and wedding rings," Ziva said. Tony sighed. This was going to be a long undercover case.

* * *

McGee and Ziva walked up to their room. McGee checked the room for cameras and bugs. He found quite a few. He placed their own bugs and cameras around the room. Ziva walked behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Ziva, we don't have to do this. I can fake being sick," McGee whispered.

"They are terrorists, I am pretty sure they can tell when you are sick and when you are not. Just remember, I could kill you in less the two seconds." McGee tensed up. He turned his head to look at her. "But I will not, as long as you do not do something stupid."

"Believe me, I won't." Ziva laughed. McGee turned around and gave her an apologetic glance. She had a worried look in her eyes. He whispered, "We're professionals. Our job requires this sometimes."

"Just relax, McGee. We have the meeting tomorrow and then it will be over. It is one night." She smiled and leaned forward. Their lips crashed into each other's. Ziva pulled him to the bed. Clothes came off. McGee felt the scar on her back. His finger traced it. Ziva pulled back. "Somalia?" McGee asked. She nodded. He sighed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't supposed to mention the scars."

"Rule six," Ziva said, pulling him close again. She sat down on the bed. They were still kissing. Ziva started moving backwards and McGee moved forwards. Ziva pulled the blankets back and they crawled under. She went under the sheet blanket, McGee stayed on top of it. Ziva had a strapless bra on, so it looked like she didn't have one on. At least while they were under the blanket. "God, Tony is going to kill me isn't he?" McGee whispered against Ziva's lips. She laughed. "Oh, yeah. You are red meat."

"Dead meat. It's dead meat," McGee said. Ziva rolled her eyes. "We've got to make this convincing," McGee whined. Ziva could tell he wasn't thrilled about this. "Convincing? Well, I know how to make it convincing," Ziva said. She rolled them so she was on top. "Tony said the same thing when we were undercover. And I will repeat myself. I prefer it on top." His eyes were wide. She smiled. "Is that really how you prefer it?" McGee asked in a childish tone. She punched him in the delicate area. "God, I swear you have been around Tony too much. Do not worry. He got the same punishment eight years ago." She gave him a sarcastic smile and kissed him.

* * *

Tony sat in the van. He was pouting. "You think there's another reason rule twelve was there? This is why. Because sometimes, Tony, Ziva has to go under cover with someone other than you," Gibbs said.

"I know, but with McGee? Come on, boss," Tony said. Gibbs smirked. "Is there something you two need to tell me?" Gibbs asked.

"Like what, boss?" Tony asked, watching Ziva wrap her arms around McGee. He felt his temper rising. "Like the fact she's pregnant? Were you going to tell me?" Gibbs asked. Tony looked over at Gibbs. "How did you know?" He asked.

"DiNozzo, she had to go to the doctor. Ziva never has to go to the doctor."

"She could've been sick," Tony said.

"She doesn't look sick. You do realize that I'll be down one agent, right? Not to mention the fact that she and I will have the no field work argument. I'm not exactly thrilled about this." Tony nodded and looked back at the screen. He sighed when McGee and Ziva's clothes started coming off. He looked away. "I prefer it on top," He heard Ziva say. He looked up in time to see McGee say something stupid. He chuckled when he saw Ziva's arm twitch and McGee's expression turn to pain. "I know how he feels," Tony said.

"Is that right, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. He nodded. "Eight years ago, when we were undercover together, I did something stupid and she hit me. So, yeah. I know how he feels." McGee handed Ziva her earwig. McGee put his in. He turned the stereo on. "You stole that from me, McTheif."

"Stole what?" He asked. Ziva was still on top of him. "The whole stereo thing," Tony said, distracted by Ziva. He could see the look on her face that said she wanted this night to be over. "No, I didn't."

"Whatever you say, McGee." Tony wondered if McGee had the same problem that he had whenever Ziva laid on top of him like that. He would kill him either way, but it would be less painful if he didn't. "So, tell me, Tony," Ziva said. "Why don't I feel McGee's knee?"

"Because he knows I would kill him if his knee showed up," Tony said.

* * *

**A/N: Promise it all plays out in the next chapter. Don't worry. At least McGee is caring... but he did slip up there. Asking if that's really how she prefers it. :) Let me know what you think! I love all of your reviews! Thank you for reading!**


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: Glad you didn't think the last chapter was downright confusing. It all plays out in this chapter. Thank you for your reviews! I'm still keeping my promise of telling the names and genders soon. On with the show! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Ziva and McGee walked into the room they were supposed to meet in. McGee dropped on the floor beside Ziva. She was beginning to find it hard to stay awake. She dropped down beside McGee and the last thing she remembered was Tony saying her name in her earwig.

"Tell me, Mrs. Bradey, what exactly do you do at the Pentagon?" McGee and Ziva sat tied up to a bomb. Gibbs and Tony were being held as well. They were tied to chairs with a rope in each of their mouths. They didn't know what went wrong. They were doing what they were supposed to do. The next thing they knew, they were tied to a bomb, and Gibbs and Tony's rescue plan failed. "I am security." She didn't sound worried at all. McGee was starting to get worried. The terrorist, Mark Hand, knelt in front of Ziva. He pulled her dog tags off. Her Star of David necklace was under them. "Now, tell me who you really are." She just smirked at him. He slapped her. "Hey! Don't touch her!" McGee yelled. He struggled against the ties. Another man hit him in the face with a gun. His mouth was bleeding. McGee spit the blood on the man. That got him another hit with the gun. "Nine, Cameron. Nine," He said. Ziva thought for a minute. He meant rule nine. Hand stood up and walked to McGee. "What's nine?"

"It's a number, you bastard," McGee said. He felt Ziva cut his ties. He held onto the knife. "I don't appreciate your attitude."

"I don't appreciate your bad breath," McGee said. He got hit in the face again. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me, your wife can." Hand untied Ziva and grabbed her by the arm. She pulled free. "Do not touch me," she said. He backed her against the wall, their chests touching. Ziva looked into Hand's eyes. He leaned closer. Their lips were almost touching. Ziva pulled the gun from his belt. He didn't realize it. She kissed him and gave McGee a thumbs up. McGee leapt up and put the knife against the other man's throat. Ziva pulled back from the kiss, and put the gun to Hand's right temple. "Nine, never go anywhere without a knife," McGee said. The man dropped his gun. McGee kicked it to Ziva. She was bending to pick it up, but Hand had another idea. He grabbed her arm and pulled the gun away from his head. He bent down and picked up the other gun. He pressed it against Ziva's stomach. She froze. Tony yelled against the rope. "Morning sickness gave it away this morning. Tell me, do you value your unborn child's life?" McGee didn't want to kill the man this way, but he had no choice. He drug the knife across the man's throat. He walked quietly over and started to cut Tony's rope. Hand turned around and pointed the other gun at McGee. He still had one gun on Ziva's stomach. She didn't know if it would kill her babies, but she wasn't taking any chances. McGee froze. "Come stand by your wife." McGee walked slowly towards him. "Give her the knife. She can't do anything with it."

"You're right, she can't do anything with it," McGee said. He handed Ziva the knife. "She can do everything with it." Ziva stabbed Hand in the arm. She got out of the way as he took the shot. Tony couldn't see, so he yelled again. McGee grabbed the gun and put it up to Hand's head. "Drop the weapon," McGee said. Hand dropped the gun. Ziva pulled the knife out of his arm and cuffed him. She walked over to the bomb. She looked at it for three seconds and cut a wire. The bomb stopped counting down. She freed Tony and Gibbs. Tony hugged her. She sat down in the chair. "Emma's probably worried. I was supposed to be home by now," Tony said. Ziva nodded. Tony stoked a hair away from her face. She looked into his eyes and almost had an emotional break-down. She forced the tears away.

* * *

"So, how was it with McGee?" Tony asked. They were in Abby's lab. "We kept a sheet in between us and never removed underwear. So you do not have to worry that McGee was better than you."

"I wasn't worried, I just didn't like it," Tony said. Ziva smiled. "Sure. I personally think he is a better kisser than you." Tony glared at her. McGee had a smile on his face. "Abby, what's your opinion?" Tony asked. Abby looked up from her computer. Ziva smiled. She knew what Tony was about to do, and she didn't really care because she knew it was just something to make McGee angry. Tony walked over to Abby. She looked at him. "I just need your opinion," Tony said. McGee glared at Tony. He kissed Abby. She thought for a minute after he pulled back. "Sorry, Tony. McGee's got you beat."

"Damn!" He yelled. Gibbs walked in. "What, DiNozzo?"

"He's upset because McGee's a better kisser," Abby said. Gibbs raised his eyebrows at her. "Long story, boss," McGee said. They had wrapped up the case. "How do you know I don't have both of you beat?" Gibbs asked.

"Because you've been married more times than you've head slapped me," Tony said. Gibbs smiled and shifted his weight. "That has nothing to do with it, DiNozzo."

"Well, I would prefer you didn't try and prove that you have us beat," Tony said. Gibbs nodded. "Someone's here to see you," Gibbs said. Tony and Ziva looked at each other. They didn't know who would be here. They went up to the bullpen. Emma sat at Tony's desk. "You're late. I was supposed to be picked up today."

"We're sorry, Emma. We were a little tied up," Tony said. Ziva hit his arm. He winced. "What was that for?"

"A bad joke," Ziva said. Emma looked at them. "Look, we're sorry, Emma. It won't happen again."

"Oh, I know," Emma said. Gibbs walked by and smacked Tony on the head. "I had her friend's mother drive her here. You know, while you were making out with Abby," Gibbs said.

"What?!" Emma asked. She was standing now. "It was nothing. Ziva said McGee was a better kisser and I wanted to prove her wrong. So I got Abby's opinion."

"Why was McGee kissing Ziva?" Emma asked.

"Classified information," Tony said. Emma gave them a look and sat back down. Tony looked at his watch. It was getting late. They packed up and went home. Emma fell asleep on the way home. Tony put his hand on Ziva's. She pulled her hand away. "He put a gun to my stomach," Ziva said. She looked at him. "Ziva, nothing happened. You're okay," Tony said.

"But what if if had not been? What if he had taken the shot without second thought?" She asked. He grabbed her hand and held it tight. She looked at him. "But he didn't, Ziva." She smiled at him. He laced his fingers with hers. "Gibbs knows. He's not happy," Tony said. Ziva shrugged her shoulders. "He will warm up."

* * *

**A/N: Heart attack moment for Tony... and Ziva. :) McGee's a better kisser... well, you heard it from two people. Please tell me what you think! I appreciate your reviews! Thank you for reading!**


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: Hey guys! Well, its getting closer to Christmas... at least in my story:) Thank you for all your reviews! I promise names and Tony's reaction to the twins will be soon. I'm saving them for chapter 50. I thought that would make it a little more special of an occasion. On with the show, I suppose!**

"Oh, my God! These are awesome!" Abby exclaimed. She was looking at the Christmas pictures Tony, Ziva and Emma had taken. Emma wanted to take Christmas pictures because her and her mother always did. They chose three and put them on a card. There were three pictures. The top one was the three standing in the falling snow. Emma was on Tony's shoulders. The one down the side was Emma holding a mistletoe on a fishing pole over Tony and Ziva. Tony and Ziva had their arms wrapped around each other and were kissing. The bottom one was the three sitting in front of a Christmas tree. The top said, 'Merry Christmas!' They had taken more pictures, but they chose those three for the card. Tony pulled out an envelope and took out a pile of pictures. "You can look through these. If you see one you like, I'll be nice enough today and let you take it."

"Do I need to show you first?" Abby asked taking the pictures. She walked over and sat in McGee's lap. "Yeah, there might be few in there you can't take." Tony looked over at Ziva. She had her hair down. It wasn't curly, but she still had it down. She glanced over at him. He blew her a kiss. She shook her head. "This one's cute!" Abby exclaimed. Tony looked over at the picture and smiled. It was a picture of him and Emma hanging on the monkey bars in the park. They were hanging upside down. McGee picked up a picture and laughed. "Tony, I would say you got absolutely destroyed." McGee turned the picture to see Tony with a snowball hitting his face. Emma was standing beside him, laughing. Gibbs walked in and looked at the card on his desk. "I didn't think you were into this kind of stuff, DiNozzo."

"I'm not. Emma wanted to take Christmas pictures." He propped the card up against his computer. He walked over to McGee's desk. They had the pictures spread out across the desk. "I like that one," Gibbs said, pointing to a picture.

"Which one's that, boss?" Tony asked. Gibbs picked up the picture and showed it to him. "In my defense, there was ice on the sidewalk." The picture was Tony sitting in a pile of snow. Ziva was kissing the top of his head, and Emma was laughing at him. Gibbs shook his head and looked at the rest of them. "Boss, if you see one you like, feel free to take it," Tony said. Gibbs picked up the one he had pointed out. Abby picked one up and showed it to Tony. "I like this one." It was the three of them with snowmen. They made the bodies, but replaced the snow head with their own. They were behind the snowmen, only their heads showing. "You can take that one." McGee decided on the one he had shown Tony. Abby looked at the one on Tony's desk. "Oh, my God. That's amazing." The picture was Emma holding her hands like she was blowing a kiss, but she had snow in her hands. She was blowing snowflakes at the camera from her pink fingerless gloves. Her gold eyes sparkled, and her amazingly gorgeous hair was wavy underneath the white beanie she had on. Tony smiled. "Yeah, it is." Abby walked over to Ziva's desk. The picture she had chosen was the three of them making snow angels. Abby smiled. Emma was counting on her fingers. She stopped and smiled. "I was trying to count the exact hours until Christmas."

"Are you excited about Santa coming?" Abby asked. Emma didn't believe in the actual big man who came into your house and put presents under your tree, but she did believe in the spirit of Santa. "Yes. I am." Gibbs hung up his phone. He stood up. "Grab your gear! Dead marine!"

"Who would kill somebody this close to Christmas?" Emma asked. Tony looked up at her. "You'd be surprised, Emma." He closed his desk drawer and grabbed his bag. He ruffled her hair on his way out. "Be careful!" She yelled.

"When are we never careful?" Gibbs asked. He was still at his desk. "Let's see. Last case, and the last case, and the cast before that, and the case before that, and- well, you get the point." Gibbs smiled and walked to the elevator. Emma went with Abby to her lab. "Abby, can I learn to shoot a gun?" Emma asked.

"No! You can't! You're seven!" Abby exclaimed. Emma put her hands up in defense. "My bad." She grabbed a pen and started writing. Abby looked at her hands. "You're left-handed?" Abby asked. Emma nodded. "I didn't know that."

* * *

Tony groaned when he realized the crime scene was outside. "Ziver, talk to the witnesses in the store."

"Gibbs, can I please-"

"No, Ziva. Get out of the cold. Go inside. I really don't want you doing field work after this case," Gibbs said.

"I'll still do field work whether you like it or not. You can't stop me," she said.

"No, but I can," Tony said. For the first time since she had met him, that DiNozzo smirk didn't have an effect. She glared at him and stormed inside. "Can I help her, boss?" Tony asked. He was shivering. "No, she can handle it." He sighed and started brushing snow away from around the body. He felt something. He brushed off a cellphone. He bagged it. McGee was explaining something about the victim when the front window of the store busted. A man was on the ground. They heard shouting in Hebrew. "Damn it, Ziva," Gibbs said. He and Tony went in the front door. They saw Ziva flip a man over her shoulder. She cuffed him and kicked him in the side. "What do you think about that, cupcake?" She looked up at Tony and Gibbs. She had a cut on her lip. She was breathing heavily. Gibbs stood the man up and walked him out to the car. "Ziva, you were supposed to be questioning them."

"I was. He started saying some rather... disgusting things. He called me cupcake and tried to touch me. You saw what happened." She walked past him and hit his shoulder on the way by. He smirked and picked up her gun. It was on the floor. He stood beside her while she listened to Ducky's explanation. He handed her the gun. She snatched it from him. "Calm down. It's over now," McGee said. She turned to look at him. He noticed her glance move up to a tree. "Possible murder weapon," she said, pointing to a sniper rifle in the tree. She walked over to the tree. "Tony, come here."

"Could I get a please?" He asked.

"No." He walked over to her. She looked back up at the gun. He knelt down to let her on his shoulders. She stood on his shoulders and he cried out in pain. She pulled herself onto the closet limb. Tony stood up and looked at her. She climbed the tree and put gloves on. She tossed the gun down to Tony. He took it over to McGee. He went back over to Ziva. She was looking in a hole. She moved some leaves around and her eyes widened. She climbed down a few limbs and jumped from the one she was on. Tony held his arms out and attempted to catch her. He fell, but broke her fall. She stood up and pulled Tony from the ground. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the tree. There was an explosion from the tree. They both fell. Tony got on top of her to protect her from the explosion. He lifted his head and looked into Ziva's eyes. She leaned up and kissed him. He rolled off of her and stared up at the sky. Gibbs and McGee ran over to them. "We're fine," Tony said, accepting McGee's hand. Gibbs helped Ziva up. "Got it. No field work after this case," she said. Gibbs looked at the tree. "A bomb planted in a tree. That's a new one."

"It was a trap, Gibbs. The killer planted the bomb so when we went after the gun, we would be killed," Ziva said. She looked at the team. "So, our agency is being targeted again?" McGee asked. Gibbs nodded. "Just another day in the office," Tony said.

**A/N: Emma is gonna be pissed at them. I don't think an explosion is considered being careful. Ziva has anger issues. But that's what we all love about her. Please tell me what you think! Still keeping my promise on letting you know names! Thank you for reading!**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: I've got extremely bad news for you guys. I'll tell you at the bottom. Thank you for your reviews and such. I appreciate all of them. Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm. Not good news at all. Please enjoy the story.**

* * *

Gibbs took his sweatshirt off that he had under his jacket. He handed it to Ziva. "I am fine, Gibbs."

"No, you're not. I just saw you shake snow out of your jacket."

"Well, I am going to have snow in my jacket. It is December."

"Ziva, stop arguing and take the damn sweatshirt," McGee said. She turned and glared at him. He and Abby had been fighting over something. He was in a bad mood. "Stop, McBitchy. Just because you and Abby are fighting doesn't mean you can be a bitch. That role is already being filled."

"By who?" McGee asked.

"Ziva," Tony said. Gibbs walked by and slapped Tony on the back of the head. Ziva punched him in the ribs when she walked by. "You have not even seen the bitch side of me, DiNozzo," she said. He smirked as she got in the van. He got on the driver's side. Gibbs opened Tony's door. "Nope, you ride with McGee." Tony began to question. "Well, which bitch do you want to deal with? McGee, or the woman who you have to sleep in the same house with?" Ziva asked. She glared at him. "Not the same bed?" Tony asked.

"Oh, no. You get the couch," Ziva said. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. She pulled away and started swatting her hands at him like a child. He laughed and held her hands down. She glared at him. He smiled again and got out of the van. Gibbs slapped his head again. Gibbs climbed in and shut the door. He started the engine. "What's bothering you, Ziva?" He asked. She looked at him. "Something's bothering you. It's not just the fact that you're pregnant."

"I am just stressed."

"About what?" Gibbs asked. Ziva sighed. "The wedding, Christmas and the babies."

"Babies?" Gibbs asked. He looked over at her. She nodded. "Twins."

"Well, that's great, Ziva!" Gibbs said. He looked at her expression. "Tony doesn't know, does he?" Ziva shook her head. Gibbs laughed a little. "Why are you stressed about it?"

"It is just overwhelming, I suppose."

"Don't worry, Ziver. It's worth it when you hold them in your arms," Gibbs said. "Why are you stressed about Christmas?" Gibbs asked.

"I do not know," Ziva said. She sighed and put her head in her hands. Gibbs patted her shoulder. "Don't stress, Ziver."

* * *

"Really?" Emma asked when Tony explained the story about the bomb. It was more of a statement rather than a question. "We're okay, Emma," Tony said. She glared at him. "When is okay gonna turn into barely escaped. Then that will turn into didn't escape, but still alive. Then-"

"Yeah, we get it, Emma," McGee said. He threw something in his desk drawer. "Hey! McGee, just because Abby was right and you were wrong, doesn't mean you can get all McBad Attitude on us."

"Nice one, Emma!" Tony said. He saw a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Gibbs walked in. Emma sat down by Ziva's desk. She didn't feel like listening to music, so instead, she just zoned out. McGee and Gibbs left. Ziva started making a call. Tony headed towards the stairs. He got down to Abby's lab. "Abby? Does your brother still work at the pet store?" He asked. She nodded. "I need to know what kinds of puppies he has."

"I guess I could pull up the website while Major Mass-Spec is finishing his job." She walked into the back room and typed something in her computer. Tony looked over her shoulder. "That one!" He pointed to a small tan and black German Shepherd puppy. He read the article about her. She was the only girl in her litter, she had a great personality and she was great with kids. "She's perfect. Can you call him and tell him to hold her for me?"

"Are you getting a puppy?" Abby asked.

"I'm getting one for Emma. She wants one for Christmas," Tony said. Abby picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Tony? Emma told me something today. She said that she didn't care if she got everything in the world for Christmas. It wouldn't mean anything if she didn't see her mom." Tony froze where he stood. It was strange that her mother hadn't contacted. He thanked Abby again after she gave him a thumbs-up. He stopped before he left, however. "What are you and McGee fighting about?"

"We got in an argument over a virus in his laptop. I told him a better way to remove it, and he insisted on his way. He ended up messing the computer up more. I had the virus out and his laptop running faster in less than five minutes."

"Wow, I think you just described computer geek problems," Tony said. She glared at him. He smiled and walked out the door. Ziva was yelling at someone over the phone. Emma was staring up at her. Tony covered Emma's ears before Ziva's language got too bad. He waited until she had slammed the phone down before uncovering her ears. "I hate people," Ziva said. Tony sat on the edge of her desk. Her phone rang again. She answered. This conversation seemed to be going a lot better. Then Ziva's expression became angry again. She was speaking in Hebrew now. She hung up. "More people?" Tony asked.

"Orli is coming for a meeting with Director Vance. She wants to talk with me. I agreed, but you are going to have to come with me."

"Why?" Tony asked.

"So I do not kill her," Ziva said. Emma raised her eyebrows at Tony. "You won't kill her. Right?" Tony asked. She gave Tony a doubtful look. "Okay, I'll come with you. When is this meeting between you two?"

"Tonight. She is coming over to our house," Ziva said.

* * *

Ziva took a shower and got dressed. Tony did the same. Emma didn't have a clue who this woman was, so Macy offered to come over and keep her company. They went to the backyard and into the tree house. The knock on the door came. Tony answered and took her coat. She sat down on the couch. Ziva sat on the other couch. Tony sat beside her. "Ziva, How have you been?" Orli asked. Tony took Ziva's hand. She almost pulled back, but decided against it.

"Fine, until a few seconds ago," Ziva snapped. Tony hung his head and held back a laugh. She really didn't like this woman. " I am here to discuss certain matters with you. Your father, left his entire fortune to you. You knew this, correct?" Ziva nodded. "You have not agreed to take it, but are you willing to change your mind?"

"Why are you asking?" Ziva asked. Orli handed Ziva a folder. Ziva opened it. Inside was all the information about her father's fortune. "That's a lot of numbers," Tony said. Ziva nodded. "We need to know before someone else discovers it. It is not safe with us anymore."

"I will take it," Ziva said. She had to sign something. Orli stood up and started towards the door. "I am sorry, Ziva. Why will you not forgive me? It was years ago."

"I will never forgive you. If you had not come into my life, I would be a completely different person," Ziva said. Tony brought his head back up. "But, she did, Ziva. And if she hadn't, I might've not met you. My life would still be dark and lonely, and empty of those damn idioms. So, Orli, even though what you did was wrong, and Ziva may never forgive you, thank you for coming into her life." Tony kissed Ziva's head and walked Orli to the door. He handed her the coat. "You love her," Orli said.

"More than anything in the world," Tony said. She smiled at him and walked out the door. "Well that wasn't terrible, Ziva," Tony said. She had a far away look on her face. He sat down beside her. Emma and Macy came in. They took their boots and coats off and ran up the stairs. It was almost dark out. "So, Ziva. Why did I never hear about this fortune?" Tony asked. She looked up at him. "Is was not important."

"But we're supposed to tell each other things," Tony said. Ziva looked at him. "We do not have to tell each other _everything._"

"That's kind of what couples are supposed to do. No secrets."

"Well, let me hear what you are not telling me," Ziva said. He stood up. She did the same. "What are you waiting for?" She asked.

"Why are you getting so defensive all of a sudden?" Tony questioned. She rolled her eyes. "I am not the one who started this conversation. This is all on you."

"You always turn things around on me! I'm sick of it, Ziva! Just sick of it!" He shouted. She took a deep breath. "You want to know my secret? Fine! During the three months we didn't have our jobs, I went back to drinking and having one-night stands. There. Are you happy now?" He yelled. She looked at him with a look of disbelief on her face. "Let's hear your secrets now. That's all I had to hide," Tony said.

"Fine! My father left me his fortune. I knew about it before he died. That night when Gibbs killed Ari, that is not the real story. I killed him. I was given a mission to kill my own brother to earn Gibbs' trust!" She shouted. He took a step away from her. "You- you killed your own brother?" He asked. She nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Cold-blooded killer, that's what you were trained as. I guess it makes sense now," Tony said, not a hint of regret in his face. She stared at him, her jaw dropped. "How could you say that, Tony?" She asked, clearly hurt. He stood without moving. "Like this, You were trained to be a ruthless, cold-blooded assassin. Just like Ari. He killed Kate, you killed Ari."

"That is not the reason I killed him, Tony! Not just for Gibbs' trust. Ari had betrayed me, my family. Gibbs had not. I had to save him! What would you have done?" She screamed. He threw his arms up. "I would've done something other than kill my own brother! How could you even do that, Ziva?"

"By pulling the damn trigger! You did not seem to have any regrets about killing Michael! I would not have done that!"

"Well, I wouldn't have killed my own brother. I would never stoop so low!" Tony yelled. She was crying a lot now. "So, now I am stooping low? It was eight years ago, Tony!"

"And you're just now telling me. I thought we were closer than that."

"Tony! We are! Then you killed my boyfriend, in my apartment!"

"And yet, I remember risking my life to go and save you from that hell hole!" Tony ran his fingers through his hair. "You don't even have something to say to that?" Tony asked. She looked up at him. "Yes, I do. Thank you for saving me from that hell hole. Now who's going to save me from this one?" She stood up and stormed out the door. Tony waited a few seconds and followed her. He looked around and didn't see her. She was gone.

**A/N: Just found out, Cote de Pablo will not be returning for season 11. She will appear long enough for her character to be dismissed. Just found that out on CBS' website or something. I might actually start crying. I never cry. Never. **

**Can't control the un-controlable. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I'll keep writing my story. If you want me to. So, chapter 50 will not be used for the unveiling of the genders and names. Sorry. I had to finish the whole fight story. I'm giving a song suggestion because I figured it fit. Thank you for your reviews! I appreciate them! On with the show!**

* * *

**_[play: So Cold. by: Ben_ Cocks]**

Ziva walked out the door, not even bothering to grab a coat. Hot tears streamed down her cold face. She didn't know where she was going, but she really didn't care. She heard Tony call her name. She ignored him and kept walking. It was just getting dark. Christmas carolers were on the sidewalk. She walked past them. How could he have said that to her? He knew damn well that she was not just a killer. She did not regret anything she had said. She shivered and kept walking. Her phone rang, she ignored it. This was dangerous for her and the twins. _I am carrying his children, and he yells at me because I did not tell him about the fortune my father left me? I did not deserve that. He should not have even brought up the fact that he saved me from Somalia. If it had not been for McGee and Gibbs, the plan never would have worked._

She opened the front door. Gibbs looked up from the book he was reading. "Ziva, it's freezing outside!"

"Yeah, I noticed," she said, wiping her tears away. She looked at her phone. Tony was calling. She answered. "Ziva? I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" She heard another voice, a female. "Tony? Who was that?"

"No, I need to take you home and get you in bed," the voice said. Ziva's jaw dropped. Could he really be cheating on her right now? "Wow, Tony. I am carrying your child. This is how you treat me?" She hung up and threw the phone across the room.

Gibbs stood up. "This is why-" Ziva stopped him.

"I know! This is why rule 12 is there! So no one gets hurt. I get that, Gibbs!" She screamed. She stepped closer to him. "There are other rules that are broken more than that one! Emma was almost killed and all you had to say was you were wrong? Sometimes it is like you do not even care!" She pushed her hands into his chest, shoving him. "All you do is sit in your basement and work on that damn boat!" She shoved him again. "You never tell us anything! You are the only shoulder I trusted to cry on. And now you are telling me where I went wrong!" She hit him again and again. She stepped back. "He was with another woman." She looked into his eyes and immediately started crying. She walked into his opened arms. "I was going to say this is why I'm here. I'll always be here for you, kid," he whispered. She sobbed into his chest. He kissed the top of her head. They stayed like that for a while. Ziva made sounds like a dying animal. She was glad Gibbs was there for her. She knew he would never leave her. "I doubt he cheated on you, Ziva."

"Then who was the woman I heard?" She asked. Gibbs thought for a minute. Ziva pulled out of his hug. "You do not have an answer, do you?" She asked. He shook his head. She let the tears fall. "I cannot have one thing that will not be lost? This is honestly just another heartbreak, but why is it the hardest?" She leaned against the wall and sank to the floor. Gibbs sat beside her. "You love him."

"Loved," Ziva corrected. Gibbs shook his head. "No, if you loved him, it wouldn't be this hard. You love him, so it's hard." She scoffed and stood back up. She walked out the door. He followed. "Ziva, stop! You're going to get sick!"

"I do not care!" She screamed. She was crying still. "Think about the two other lives you are endangering now. Think!"

"The only thing I can think about is who the two lives came from! I do not deserve this! He is an absolute-" Gibbs cut her off.

"He's a son of a bitch. Hell, he's a pain in the ass. In everybody's. Emma even said it," Gibbs said. Ziva let out a cry of frustration. "Why? Why does everything important get taken away?"

"It doesn't, Ziva." Gibbs said. He spoke in a soothing tone. "Sometimes, I just think it would be easier if I woke up a different person."

"Then I wouldn't have my second daughter," Gibbs said, hugging her. She wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Ziva. You're my daughter, just remember that."

"I will, Gibbs. Thank you,for everything. You've always been there for me."

* * *

Tony watched her walk out the door. He waited a few seconds and followed her out the door. He didn't see her. She hadn't even taken a jacket. "Ziva!" He yelled. She, of course, didn't answer. He went back in the house. He picked up his phone and tried calling her. She didn't answer. He walked upstairs and went into Emma's room. "Tony, what was that all about?" Macy asked.

"Ziva and I fought."

"Who did she kill?" Emma asked. Tony sighed. "Ari. Macy will you call your mother to come get you?" Tony asked.

"She's already on her way. She said she would be here at six. It's almost six." There was a knock at the door. Tony ran down the stairs, followed by Macy. He pulled out his phone and tried to call her again. She answered. "Ziva? I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Macy and her mother were arguing about where to eat. "No, I need to take you home and get you in bed. We've got a big day tomorrow." Tony froze where he stood. All Ziva heard was that first part. He was about to explain. "Wow, Tony. I am carrying your child. This is how you treat me?"

"Wait! No, Ziva!" The line went dead. Macy's mother walked out the door. He held his anger in until he knew they were gone. "Shit!" He threw the phone across the room. Emma looked down from the railing. She sat down, her legs dangling over the edge. She watched Tony handle the situation. He started drinking. He stared off into space. She walked down the stairs. He looked over at her. "Stop drinking." She took the glass out of his hand. He thank her. "You know where she is, right?" Emma asked.

"No, but I just hope it is somewhere warm," Tony said. Emma sat down beside him. "She went to Gibbs' house."

"How do you know?" Emma asked. Tony leaned back. "I've known her for eight years."

"I've known her for like, four months. I knew where she was going." Tony sighed and reached for his drink. Emma slapped his hand. "No! You've had enough."

"Emma," he whined. She gave him a threatening look. "Do you think she'll forgive me?" Tony asked. Emma was about to answer. There was a knock at the door. Emma got up and answered. "Tony," she said. He looked up at the door. Emma was reading a letter. She covered her mouth with her hand. Tony walked up to the door. He saw Ziva's hand writing. He took the letter from Emma. He read the letter: 'Dear Tony,

'I am sorry that I did not tell you sooner. Thank you for everything, but it is obvious we are not ready to spend the rest of our lives together. So, take time to think because I am taking time. I am going back to Israel to visit Schmeil. I do not know how long I will be gone. I am leaving tomorrow. I know Christmas is only a few days away. I love you, no matter what you do. I will always love you. I am sorry.' Something fell out of the envelope. He looked down at her ring. He picked it up. Emma looked around outside. Ziva wasn't anywhere to be seen. She looked back at Tony. "She's gone. I lost her. I screwed this up." Emma nodded. She closed the door. "Big time, Tony. Big time."

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh. Trouble in Paradise. Don't worry, everything turns out fine... maybe. Dun dun dun. Ziva got a little physical with Gibbs. He just let her do that too. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for your reviews! I appreciate them all! In the last chapter, as you know, Tony opened a letter and Ziva's engagement ring fell on the floor. We find out how Tony decides to clean up his mess. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Ziva waited until she thought Gibbs was asleep. She snuck out and took his car. She drove back to their house. The lights were still on. She put a letter in front if the door and knocked. She ran back to the car and drove away. She looked in the rearview mirror. Emma was standing in the doorway. She knew Gibbs would be angry, but she didn't care. She had to make one more stop.

Gibbs stood up when Ziva walked back in. "Where were you?" He asked.

"I had to drop something off." Gibbs looked down at her hand. Her right hand had ink smudges on it. The left was missing the ring. "Ziva," Gibbs said. She shook her head. "I am leaving tomorrow morning for Israel. I have already contacted Schmeil. You cannot stop me."

"How long are you staying?" He asked. She looked down at her feet. Then, she pulled something out of her pocket. "Ziva! This is a one way ticket!" Gibbs yelled. Ziva nodded. "I just cannot stay. He hurt me."

"What about Emma?" Gibbs asked. Ziva shook her head. "I am going, Gibbs. Please do not try to stop me," Ziva said. He nodded and pulled her close. She didn't cry. She had no more tears. She sat down on the couch. Gibbs went towards the basement. "Where are you going?" Ziva asked.

"To work on my damn boat," Gibbs said. She gave him an apologetic look. "I'm kidding." He came back in with a beer. "You can't have one," Gibbs said.

"I know. I do not want one anyway." Gibbs sat down beside her. She looked at her ticket on the table. "Ziva, you know that I'll have to find another team member if you stay too long."

"I will come back, Gibbs. I just do not know when."

"Do you have an estimated time about when you'll be back?" Gibbs asked.

"No, but not as long as when I stayed in Israel when you left me." Ziva eventually fell asleep on the couch. Gibbs pulled a blanket over her and kissed her head. "Goodnight, kid." He phone started ringing. He answered. "DiNozzo, explain!" He said.

"I know. I screwed up. Can you please stop her from going to Israel?" Tony asked. Gibbs almost threw the phone across the room. "Rule 45, DiNozzo!" He hung up the phone.

* * *

Tony woke up. He looked up at the clock. It was four a.m. He looked at the empty side of the bed. He rolled over to her side and pulled her laptop from the night stand. Rule 45,clean up your own mess. He pulled up the earliest flight to Israel. It was at five a.m. He jumped out of bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt. He ran into Emma's room. She was still asleep. He picked her up and grabbed Mary. Emma opened her eyes slightly. "Tony, you need shoes." He looked down at his feet. She was right. He put her in the car and went back in for shoes. He picked up his broken phone. "Damn." He put it in his pocket and got into the car. "Where are we going, anyway?" Emma asked.

"To stop Ziva from going to Israel."

Tony told Emma to stay in the car. "What if I get cold?" She asked. Tony took his sweatshirt off and handed to her. He ran through the doors. He looked around. He heard the speaker: "Five o' clock flight to Tel Aviv now boarding."

"No, no, no." He ran through the crowd. A luggage cart fell over in front of him. He sped up and jumped over the luggage and people picking up the luggage. He saw Ziva standing in line for her ticket to be approved. He ran through the detectors. They started going off. He pulled out his badge. Security tried to stop him, but his badge allowed him to get through. "Ziva!" He yelled. She looked at him. He ran up to her, out of breath. "Tony? I do not want to talk to you," Ziva said.

"Well, I do not want you to go," Tony said. She glared at him for mocking her lack of contractions. "Please, just leave, Tony."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ziva," Tony said, stepping closer. She didn't back up like he expected. "I thought you were not afraid of anything," Ziva said. She saw the corner of his mouth twitch. "I'm afraid of losing you, Ziva."

"Face your fears, Tony." She backed up and started walking towards the plane. Tony watched her walk away. A woman who had heard their conversation yelled, "Well? Don't just stand there! Go after her!" Tony ran after her. He put both hands on her arms. He pulled her into a kiss. Tony made sure all the feelings and emotions of the past day were put into that kiss. Anger, sadness, joy, pain, and especially, love. She finally relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tony moved his arms and wrapped them around her waist. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm always going to need you," Tony said. He pulled something out of his pocket. Ziva looked down at it. He slipped her ring back on. "Please don't go. It's Christmas Eve." Tony said. He kissed her again. She smiled against his lips. "I will stay, Tony. I will never leave you."

"Good, because Emma's too much of a pain to deal with alone," Tony said. Ziva laughed. "You didn't have any bags did you?" Tony asked. She shook her head. He rested one hand on her stomach. She smiled. "I'm glad you're the woman carrying my child," Tony said. Ziva looked at him. "Speaking of women, who was that last night."

"Macy's mom. She was talking to Macy. They had to get in bed early because they had a big trip to go on today."

"Promise?" Ziva asked. Tony nodded. They walked out of the airport together. Emma looked up at them and smiled. "Nice of you to join us again, Ziva."

"You are right. She is too much of a pain to deal with alone," Ziva said. Emma glared at her. "I heard that!" She yelled. Ziva just smiled.

* * *

**A/N: How adorable! I bet you were scared there for a second, weren't you? Maybe, maybe not. :) Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: Sorry about the time. I had to look this chapter over. It may not be perfect, but it adds a whole new story line into the mix. We find out in this chapter that Emma has been keeping a secret... **

**Thank you for all your reviews! I wasn't going to let Ziva leave, and obviously, neither was Tony. On with the show, I suppose!**

* * *

The rest of Christmas Eve was a little rough. Ziva had morning, afternoon and evening sickness. Emma was upset that she hadn't heard from her mother. McGee was still in a bad mood because Abby refused to forgive him. Gibbs didn't have his morning coffee. Tony had a major migraine. It was a long day.

Tony walked into the interrogation room with Ziva. He turned his chair around and sat down. "Just one question, why am I here?" The person asked. Tony looked up and almost fell out of his chair. He was looking at a teenage girl. She dressed like Abby, but had more rips in her clothes and more chains. She had a skateboard propped up against the chair. She had her helmet and pads on the table. She had a tattoo on her wrist. It said 'Semper Fi' and was under an anchor. She had an infinity sign on her finger. He was sure she had more, but he didn't spend too much time on that. She had braces and was smacking on the piece of gum in her mouth. Her nose was pierced. She had an ear spike in her right ear. It was an arrow going through the top of her ear.

The rest of her ear, and her other ear were pierced at least four times. Then, he focused on her actual looks. She had long, blonde hair. He saw something in her face that looked familiar. Then he looked into her eyes. He jumped up and his foot got caught on the chair. He fell backwards. He stood up. "Ziva! Step outside for a minute, please." They walked out the door. Ziva had a stunned look on her face. "Oh, my God! Did you see her eyes?" Ziva asked. Tony nodded. He pulled out his phone. McGee fixed it for him. They walked into observation. He looked at the picture of Emma on his phone. Then he looked at the girl. "They're sisters. They have to be," Tony said. He put his phone back in his pocket and they walked back in. Tony looked at her again.

"Hey! Dude, listen. I don't appreciate people staring at me," She said. Tony snapped out of his trance. "What's your name?" Tony asked.

"Taz."

"Your real name," Ziva said. Taz sighed. "Toni Azura Carter Zellman. Do you want to know my life story?" She asked. Tony nodded. "Fine. I'm sixteen years old. I have a half-sister. Her name is Kayla Janice Carter. I call her KJ. I married Lewis Zellman a few months ago. My sister was the product of my mother and her dick of a boyfriend. We have no idea where he went. My mom died after giving birth to KJ. She's only a month or two old. Lewis and I have been caring for her as if she was our own. My life sucks. But I didn't break any law, so tell me why the hell I'm here."

"You got married? At sixteen?" Tony asked. She nodded. "Why don't you tell me your name?" Taz asked.

"My name is Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. This is Agent Ziva David," Tony said. Taz had a smirk on her face. "Let me guess, you two have screwed each other. More than once. In fact, I'm wiling to bet that you two are together."

"What was your relationship with Sergeant Gary Johnson?" Ziva asked.

"We slept together a few times, nothing serious. He was more of a friend than a boyfriend," Taz said. Tony stood up. "Ziva, please finish this," He whispered. Ziva smiled and sat down. "You were the last person seen with him," Ziva said.

"Okay, I took him home because he was drunk. Then I left. He probably had some whore over before he died."

"Were you ever jealous of the other women?" Ziva asked.

"Nope, because he remembered my name. Never even asked for theirs. I'm married. Our relationship as friends with benefits was over when I met Lewis."

"Do you know anything that can help us?" Ziva asked. She thought for minute. She shook her head. They thanked her and let Gibbs finish it up. When he was done, he walked into observation. "She's clean."

* * *

Tony walked with Taz from the interrogation room. He walked into the bullpen. Emma looked up. Her jaw dropped. "Toni?"

"Yes?" Taz and Tony said at the same time. Emma shook her head and pointed to Taz. "Emma?" Before the team knew it, the two were hugging. Tony stared at them. "You two know each other?"

"Tony, I haven't been honest with you," Emma said. He looked at her with disbelief. McGee and Gibbs stared at them, too. Gibbs pushed his chair to the center of the room. McGee did the same. "Both of you, sit," Gibbs said to Taz and Emma. They sat. Ziva and Tony pulled their chairs to the center. "Work this out," Gibbs said. He walked towards the elevator. McGee did the same. "Explain!" Tony said.

"Emma's dad had an affair with my mom. That's where I came in. Carroll didn't find out until I was nine. She was pregnant with Emma. They insisted that I stay close with the family. So I did. Emma and I actually bonded like sisters. On my thirteenth birthday, we all were going fishing. I went back to the car for my drink. I came back and they were gone. I called Gary. He was a good friend from school. He took me back to my house. I trusted him from then on. The only problem was, he was a junior in high school and I was in seventh grade. I stopped visiting Carroll after that. I started getting closer with Gary. I got tattoos, my ears pierced all these times and my nose pierced. I got my belly button pierced, changed my style and my attitude. I learned how to ride a skateboard. I learned how to play guitar and drums. I did everything I wanted to do.

"Then, I went with Gary to a party. I drank. At fourteen, I was already getting wasted. That night, I couldn't go home because my mom would kill me. So, I called her and told her I was staying at a friend's house. I went home with Gary. We... you know... did it. We stayed friends, but that became a usual thing. Then, I met Lewis. I fell in love. Gary wasn't angry because he was sleeping with at least five other whores a night. Lewis proposed, we got married, my mom got pregnant, her boyfriend left and she died giving birth. We are taking care of KJ now. So, that's my life story. My real life story," Taz said. Tony and Ziva stared at her. Emma looked down at her lap. "Emma, how much of this did you know?" Ziva asked.

"I knew she ran away. I knew she got married. I saw her when I was at Macy's house a few months ago," Emma said.

"So, you are sixteen, and married?" Ziva asked.

"Marriage laws in D.C. are you have to be at least eighteen, but sixteen with the confirmation of a legal guardian. Lewis is nineteen. He's studying to become a doctor. He played football in high school, but had a career ending elbow injury his last game of his senior year," Taz explained. "Gary's brother was a good friend too," Taz said. Ziva moved back to her computer and started looking. "What's his name?" Tony asked.

"Carson," Taz said. She looked down at her wedding ring. It was a gold band with the words 'As Long as We Both Shall Live" engraved on it. Lewis' said "Till Death do us Part." Her engagement ring was a simple gold band with a diamond. Tony moved back to his desk. He called Gibbs. Taz pulled out her phone that was ringing. She snapped to get Tony and Ziva's attention. "It's Carson," She said. She answered it on speaker. "Hello?"

"Taz, I need to talk to you."

"Well, you're talking now," Taz said. She leaned back in her chair. "I mean in person. I did something bad. Really bad." Taz looked over at Tony. He told her to keep talking. "What did you do?" She asked.

"I can't tell you right now. Meet me by the skate park. Three p.m." The line went dead. Taz stared at the phone. "Well, shit. What the hell are we gonna do?" She asked.

"You're going to meet him at the skate park in two hours, Taz," Gibbs said. She jumped up and turned around. " What the fu-freak? When did you get back there?" She asked. Emma laughed. "He's been there about five minutes."

"How do you know? You didn't even turn around," Taz said.

"I've been here about four months. You get used to it," Emma said. Taz shook her head. "Crazy people. I'm surrounded by crazy people."

* * *

**A/N: Crazy people indeed. Sorry if this doesn't make sense... but it is pretty late, and its been a looooonnnnnggggg day. Please tell me what you think! The next chapter will be up tomorrow! Thank you for reading!**


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: Sorry again about the time. I'll get back on track soon. Thank you for your reviews! Sorry about the short a/n. Late. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Taz held her breath and got out of the car. She put her earwig in. Tony rolled down his window. "You need to act normal, Taz."

"Well, do you have any gum?" She asked. Gibbs tossed her a piece. She thanked him. Taz put her padding on. "How do you skate when it's snowing?" Tony asked.

"We clear the ice off of the rails and ramps. It's simple." She pulled her wrist protector straps tight. She put her sweatshirt on. She pulled her hair over her earwig. She put a toboggan on. Then, she put her helmet on. She left it unbuckled for a second. She pulled her headphones out of her backpack. "How much stuff do you have in there?" Tony asked. She looked at the bag. "Snacks, drinks, my pads when I'm not riding, my headphones, extra set of wheels and my laptop." Her headphones were around her neck. She zipped the bag up and put it on her shoulder. She buckled her helmet. Tony looked at her eyes again. They were so much like Emma's but Taz had mascara and eyeliner on.

Taz made sure everything was set. She grabbed her skateboard from the back seat and rode it across the parking lot. She jumped the curb and rode across the road. She stopped at the gate and kicked her skateboard up. Gibbs and Tony got out of the car and walked around. Taz opened the gate and walked to the ramps. After a few minutes, she came down the ramp and rode a rail. She jumped off and went towards a bench. She jumped over it, while her skateboard went under. A man stopped her skateboard. She fell to the ground. "Dude, what the hell?" She screamed. The man offered his hand. She refused and stood up. He handed her the skateboard. "Carson, you know I hate it when people do that!"

"I know. Are you okay?" He asked. She shoved his shoulders. "I'm fine. But I scraped my hand, tore a hole in my jeans and and I think my back has a bruise."

"Your jeans already have holes in them, Taz." She looked down at her jeans. "What did you need to talk to me about?" Taz asked. He tensed up. "Okay, Carson. We don't have to discuss that yet. How's school?" Taz asked. He laughed. "College sucks. Other than the parties. How's high school?"

"A pain in the ass. Damn bitches," Taz laughed. Carson pulled her headphones from around her neck. He put them on his head. "Who's the damn bitch? What did she do?" He asked, taking her phone from her pocket. She slapped his hand and took the phone back. She unplugged the headphones. "My teacher. She gave me a whole month of detention."

"I never got detention."

"Because you're a goody-two-shoes," Taz took the headphones and put them in her bag. She took her helmet off and put it on the bench next to her skateboard and bag. "Why don't you have your skateboard?" Taz asked.

"Oh, I do. It's right here." He bent down and picked up his skateboard. Taz opened her eyes wider. "Is this new?"

"No, I just fixed the deck a little and put a new design on the bottom. New wheels." She turned the board over and looked at the design. Carson smiled. "Who did this?" She asked.

"Me. I have my own skate shop now. I fix boards, replace wheels, sell equipment and boards and do designs. Let me see your board," Carson said. Taz handed him her board. He sat down on the bench. "Shit, how old is this thing?" Carson asked.

"Well, that's my first skateboard ever. So, three years old. Why?" Taz asked, sitting down.

"Because it's in bad shape. You're wheels are worn out, your trucks look way too tight and the paint is chipped."

"So, basically, my skateboard looks like shit?" Taz asked.

"Nice way to put it, Taz," Tony said. She shook her head. "Tell you what, I'll take this back to the shop and fix it up, you take mine until I get your fixed," Carson said. Taz thought for a minute. "When will you have it back?"

"I'll surprise you," Carson said. Taz smiled. "What about the design on the bottom?" Taz asked.

"Leave that to me." Carson handed her his skateboard and put hers on the ground. "What did you need to talk to me about, Carson? We've wasted enough time."

"It's nothing terrible, but it is kind of bad. I-"

"What did you do, Carson?" Taz demanded. He sighed. "I slept with Gary's girlfriend."

"You do that all the time," Taz said. Carson shook his head. "No, this time was different. He was going to propose. Then he died," Carson said. Taz turned to look at Gibbs. "It's okay, Carson." She put her hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her. His eyes shifted to her wedding ring. "You're married?"

"Yeah. Lewis, you met him." She pulled out her phone and showed him a picture. "How are you two paying for everything?" Carson asked.

"His parents are happy to help us when we we fall behind. I babysit in my free time and Lewis does yard work for people. Now, it's mostly shoveling snow." Taz put her phone back in her pocket. She stood up and stretched. "I've got to get going. It was nice to see you again, Carson." Taz picked up her bag and put her helmet on. She put the skateboard on the ground. Carson hugged her. She stood still, then wrapped her arms awkwardly around him. She attached a tracking device to his bag."I'll have your board back in no time," Carson said. She thanked him and rode the skateboard back to the gate. She smiled. Gibbs walked beside her. "What's up with the smile?" He asked.

"Nice board," Taz said. Tony stood beside her. "You sure that's the reason for the smile?" He asked. Gibbs slapped him on the head. "Yes, Tony. I'm sure."

* * *

Ziva came back from the bathroom. "You've got to stop puking eventually," Tony said. Ziva turned and glared at him. "This is _your_ fault!"

"My fault? How is it my fault?" Tony asked. Taz knew where this was going. She took her headphones from around her neck and put them on Emma's head. She plugged them into Emma's iPod. She told Emma to listen to music. Just in time, too. "You know damn well why it is your fault, Tony. You just had to get excited."

"Um, excuse me, but I remember a little horny ninja getting touchy-feely. Not little, a lot," Tony said. Ziva glared at him and picked up a paper clip. He put his hands up in defense. "Don't say you didn't enjoy it, Ziva."

"I will say whatever I want to say," Ziva snapped. Tony grabbed her wrist and took the paper clip out of her hand. "Ziva David, you enjoyed it and you know it. Considering the fact that almost right after Emma left the house, you threw yourself at me."

"I did not," Ziva said. Tony raised his eyebrows. "Maybe I did. Then again, maybe I did not."

"Oh, yeah? Says the woman who practically drug me from the couch to the bed. Then after I-" Taz cut him off.

"Oh, my God! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Tony looked at her. She had a look of disgust on her face. "Come on, Taz."

"Where are we going?" She snapped. McGee snickered. "Don't tell me you and Lewis haven't-"

"No, we haven't, Tony! But if you want to play that game... tell me, how long were you two screwing each other before this one time?" She asked. Tony stood up. Taz did the same. "Since August."

"How many times did you hook up before then?" Taz asked. Tony thought. "I don't know. So, tell me, Taz, what do you and Lewis do on your non-busy nights?" Tony asked. He felt weird having this conversation with a child. "Watch movies, play games or I help him study for school."

"That's it?" Tony asked. She nodded. "Just because Lewis has better self-control than you doesn't mean you can hate," Taz said. Tony smiled and stepped closer. "I'm not. Just wondering. Is he a virgin?"

"No. What else are honeymoons for?" Taz asked. Tony's smirk faded. "You're telling me you didn't use a condom and it took you this long to get pregnant?" Taz crossed her arms. Tony smiled. She looked just like Emma when she did that. "Ziva was on birth control," Tony said.

"No, I was not," Ziva said. Taz leaned to the side to see around Tony. She looked back up at him. "So, she wasn't on birth control. You didn't use a condom?"

"Yeah. Your point?" Tony asked.

"So, was it Ziva who's oven couldn't bake the bun? Or were you shootin' blanks?" She smirked. McGee almost fell out of his chair laughing so hard. Tony glared at her. "I don't shoot blanks," Tony said. Ziva slapped his arm. "So, you are saying I had a problem?" Ziva asked.

"You said it yourself," Tony said. Taz didn't want a fight to start. "Okay, whatever. Ziva was a little horny that day. Every woman has her days. Tony's a guy. Every man gets excited," she said. McGee agreed. Abby punched his arm. "When did you get in here?" He asked.

"Soon enough to see that. Is that true, McGee?" Abby asked. He smiled up at her. "I don't know. You want to find out?"

"Shut the hell up! Are we done here?" Taz asked. The team nodded. She thanked them and took the headphones off of Emma's head. The elevator opened. A man with a baby carrier and a bag walked in. "That bag matches your eyes, babe," Taz said. The man, obviously Lewis, smiled. He sat the carrier down on Ziva's desk. He put the bag on the floor. Taz stood on her tip toes and kissed him. He had dirty-blond hair, icy blue eyes and he was in shape. Like, really in shape. Taz introduced him to the team. He offered Ziva the available chair. She declined. He sat down. Taz took KJ out of the carrier. "This is KJ." Taz sat in Lewis' lap. Tony turned to Ziva. He was about to kiss her when Gibbs pulled him by the collar of his shirt to M-TAC. "Got someone who needs to talk to you."

**A/N: So, Taz is a older version if Emma, just with worse language and... And well you get the point. Tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N: I promise I will get this update thing situated. I've been busy the whole day! If you ever (and I can not stress the word _ever_ enough) are offered the chance to work with your best friend, say no. You won't get anything done, and the next thing you know, you're trying to cram work in while taking care of your little sister. Who, by the way, is a major pain in the ass. If you know Emma's character, then you know my pain. **

**Sorry, off my rant now, thank you for all your reviews! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Emma watched Tony go into M-TAC. Ziva asked to hold KJ. "Ziva, can I ask you a question?" Emma asked. She looked up from KJ. "I do not know. Can you?" She snapped. Taz shifted her weight. "Ziva," She said in a sweet, sarcastic voice, "just because Tony got you knocked up, doesn't mean you can be a bitch to my sister."

"Anyway," Emma said, "why can't anyone tell you're pregnant? What are you, like three months?"

"It's her first child and I'm willing to bet she has strong stomach muscles, so she won't show as soon. Give it about another week. She'll start to blow up," Lewis said. Emma nodded and looked back down at her iPod. "Babe, this isn't your skateboard," Lewis said.

"A friend is fixing mine up," Taz said. Lewis grabbed her hand. She smiled. "So, when can we leave?" Lewis asked. Taz looked at Ziva. "That is up to Agent Gibbs," Ziva said. Lewis sighed and rested his head on Taz's shoulder. "What? Do you have plans?" Taz asked.

"Other than the fact that we have to go to my parents' house in the morning."

"Shit, I forgot about that!" Taz exclaimed. She sat up straight. Lewis winced. "What?" Taz asked.

"Your bony ass is killing my legs." Taz stood up. She bent down and kissed him. When they pulled back, Taz raised her eyebrows at him. "What?" He asked.

"You're going to get your tongue stuck if you do that," Taz said, laughing. He kissed her again. She had the same look on her face. "Do that again, and your lip will get stuck."

"There's just no pleasing you, is there? You complain about one thing, then complain about the next. How long do you have those braces?" Lewis asked.

"I just got them. You've got another two years. But since I won't do what the dentist says, you've probably got a lot more," Taz said. He groaned. "That's called marriage, Lewis," Gibbs said, walking in. "McGee, take Emma up to M-TAC. The rest of you... just wait a little while longer." McGee stood up and took Emma's hand. She followed him up the stairs. McGee opened the door. "Okay, Emma. Before we go in, I need you to close your eyes."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"Because I have a surprise for you." She smiled and closed her eyes. McGee led her into the room. He counted to three and uncovered her eyes. "Mommy!"

"Emma, oh, my God! Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Emma's mother said. Tony was in one of the chairs. The rest of the group came in. Abby smiled and kissed McGee. "Did you have something to do with this?" She asked.

"Only the really hard technical stuff. Tony did most of the other work." She wrapped her arms around him. He kissed the side of her head. Ziva sat by Tony and held his hand. "I'm going soft," he said.

"Well, I noticed that the other day when we were in bed-"

"Not like that, Ziva! I meant in the heart."

"Kids tend to do that. Especially girls," Ziva said. He smiled at her. Gibbs sat by Ziva. Taz stood at the door. She had KJ in her arms. She turned around and tried to walk out the door. Lewis stopped her. "You can do this, Taz."

"No, I can't."

"Toni Azura," Lewis said.

"Don't use my name. I hate my name," Taz said. Lewis smirked. "I hate you walking away from a challenge. You never do that," Lewis said. She sighed and turned around. She walked behind Emma. "Toni?" Carroll asked.

"Hi, Carroll," Taz said. She felt Lewis wrap his arm around her. "Oh, my God! It's great to see you!"

"It's good to see you, too. Um, this is Lewis, my husband. And this is KJ, my sister. Mom died giving birth to her."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How have you been?" Carroll asked. Taz looked down at her feet. "Not someone to be proud of."

"I'm proud of you not matter what you do to you ears and nose and wardrobe. Merry Christmas!" Carroll exclaimed. Taz nodded. "Merry Christmas." They spent the next hour or so talking.

* * *

"So, we can't go home yet?" Taz asked. She was standing outside of M-TAC while Emma finished talking to her mother. "Not until we're sure you're safe. Being a close friend of Johnson, you could be a target," Gibbs explained. Taz sighed. KJ started crying. Taz handed her to Lewis. "You got this one, babe."

"I got the last one!" He complained.

"But I got all the ones last night," Taz fired back. He shut up and took KJ to the bathroom. Emma came out with a big smile on her face. "Are you happy, Emma?" Tony asked. She nodded. "She can't talk to me until April. They don't have phones or normal computers there."

"Don't worry, Emma. They don't have normal people here," Taz said. Emma laughed. Tony glared at her. "I'm joking, sharp shooter," Taz said, making her hand into a gun and firing it. His glare stayed. "Sharp shooter?" Gibbs asked.

"Long, inappropriate story, boss," Tony said. Gibbs looked at Taz. She held back her smile. "Let's just say the conversation started with Ziva saying it was Tony's fault she was pregnant. Then he made me angry," Taz said.

"Enough said." The team walked down the stairs. Gibbs went towards the elevator. "Where're you going?" Tony yelled.

"Coffee! It's gonna be a long night!" He shouted back. Everybody groaned. Taz pulled out her phone. "Who could you possibly be texting?" Tony asked.

"My friend," Taz said. He laughed. "At least I'm young enough to know what texting is," Taz snapped.

"I know what texting is, Taz," Tony said. She looked up from her phone. "I never doubted that. But do tell me, how old are you? Forty?"

"No," Tony said. Everybody, including Emma, looked at him. "Okay, fine! Yes, I'm in my forties."

"Damn, bro. You're old," Lewis said, walking back in. He put KJ back in Taz's arms. "Shut up, Lewis," Taz said. He laughed. Taz stood up and gave KJ to Ziva. "That's a good look for you, Ziva," Tony said. She smiled and put her in Tony's arms. "It is a good look for you, too."

"Thanks," Tony said. Ziva sat on the edge of his desk. "What would you say if we both had this good look? At the same time," Ziva said. He gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Dude, she means you're having twins. Double trouble. Dos. Duece. Two," Lewis said. Tony's eyes widened. Ziva pulled the ultrasound picture out of her pocket. She showed him the two spots. "Oh, my God. We're having twins."

"Yes, Tony. We are."

"Twins? Two children. There are two children inside of you. Our children," Tony looked like he was about to faint. Ziva smiled at him. "Yes, Tony. We are having twins."

"Twins! This is amazing!" Tony exclaimed, jumping up. Ziva took KJ from his arms. "You've got some work to do before the DiNozzo duo arrives," Taz said. She stood up and held KJ. Tony wrapped his arms around Ziva and kissed her. She smiled against his lips. "Major work, Tony," Ziva said.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"I'll say! You two are pretty bad at this parenting thing," Emma said. She was climbing up the side of the stairs. "Get your ass down, Emma!" Taz said. She jumped down from the stairs. "Well, any person would look like a bad parent if they had to be seen in public with you," McGee said. She turned and smiled. "That's the plan!" She sat down on the floor. Lewis grabbed Taz's phone. "Hey!"

"Hey, how's your Christmas going?"

"Lewis, please give me my phone!"

"Put KJ in her carrier, then we'll talk," Lewis said. She covered KJ with the blanket. "Now, give me the damn phone."

"Temper, temper."

"Lewis!" She yelled. He smiled and handed her the phone. She snatched it out of his hand. McGee's computer beeped. "We've got a match on the fingerprints!" He pulled the ID up on the screen. Taz and Lewis stood up. "Oh, shit," Taz said. She turned to Lewis. "Shit is an understatement," He said.

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhangerrrrr! At least Emma got to see her mom! Well, Tony found out! I would say he was excited! Please tell me what you think! Thank you so, so, sooooo much for reading! Next chapter should be up tomorrow!**


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N: So, I'm getting back to the normal update time. Getting there, not there, but we're getting there. Thank you for all your reviews! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Tony looked at Taz and Lewis. "I take it you two know this person?" Ziva asked.

"That's my brother," Lewis said. He was staring at the screen. "Can you get him to come in for questioning?" Tony asked. He shook his head. "I haven't talked to him in three years. I don't even have his number anymore. I can try, though. Can you give me his number?" McGee pulled up the number. Lewis got his cellphone out. He dialed the number. It rang a few times. "Hello?" The voice answered.

"Brandon, hey, it's Lewis."

"Lewis! Hey, man! What's up?"

"I need you to do me a favor," Lewis said.

"And that would be?" Brandon asked.

"I need you to come to the Navy Yard. NCIS wants to talk to you."

"It's six o' clock on Christmas Eve! I can't go over there!"

"Please. It's really important," Lewis said. Brandon sighed. "Okay, I'm on my way." Lewis hung up. He looked at the picture on the screen. "Why would he kill Gary?" Taz asked.

"We don't know for sure if this is who murdered Sergeant Johnson, but he's our only suspect, other than..." McGee stopped. Taz looked at him with an expression of disbelief on her face. "Other than me, right? Because I would murder my best friend," Taz snapped. Lewis put his hand on her shoulder. She smacked it away. "That's why I'm still here, isn't it?" She asked, tears coming to her eyes. "Why do you think I would kill my best friend?"

"We've seen it before," Tony said. He made a mental note to head slap McGee. "But that doesn't mean I did it!" Taz screamed. She stormed away. Tony went to follow her. Lewis stopped him. "Just let her work it out, man. Let her work it out." Tony walked over to McGee and slapped his head. "McScrew-Up. Think before you speak!" McGee stood up and shoved Tony. He stumbled back. "I'm not a screw-up. So, shut the hell up."

"Did you just tell the Senior Field Agent to shut the hell up?" Tony asked. McGee glared at him. "Yes, I did. Do you have a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Well, please put all complaints in the complaint box," McGee said. He picked up the trash can and handed it to Tony. Tony threw the trash can across the room. "That's what I think of your complaint box, McGee."

"And here's what I think about you." McGee grabbed his cup of water and splashed it on Tony's face. Tony wiped the water from his eyes and lunged at McGee. McGee swiped Tony's legs out from under him. Tony fell to the ground. McGee knelt down beside him. He put his hand under Tony's chin and around his jaw. He brought his face up close to his. "Where did you learn to do that?" Tony asked.

"Nowhere, that just came naturally. Now, when I let you up, go pick up my trash can."

"No. You don't tell me what to do," Tony snapped. McGee let Tony's head fall. He stood up. Tony stayed on the floor. "But I do, DiNozzo. Get your ass up and go pick up the damn trash can," Gibbs said, walking in. Tony stood up and put his hand on his back. "Does McGee not get in trouble for that?" Tony asked.

"No, because I'm sure you deserved it." Gibbs gave everyone a cup. Ziva hesitated. "It's hot chocolate. One cup won't hurt you. Right, Lewis?" Gibbs asked. Lewis nodded. Ziva smiled at took the cup. Tony picked McGee's trash can up. "Please tell me Emma's getting hot chocolate too," Tony said.

"If it helps you sleep at night," Emma said. She took a sip of the coffee. Tony sighed. "Don't worry, it is," Gibbs said. Tony took his cup of coffee. "Tony, what did you do?" Gibbs asked.

"What do you mean?" Tony replied. Gibbs pointed to the extra cup of coffee. "Oh, I didn't do anything. McGee did." Tony let Ziva have his chair. He sat in front of her. She rubbed his shoulders. "Why do I have a feeling you weren't going to tell me about the twins?" Tony asked.

"Because I was not going to tell you until we found out the genders," Ziva said. "I did not think it was fair, though. So, I took that moment to tell you."

"Thank you for not making me find out that way. I would've had a heart attack."

"Somebody go find Taz before her coffee gets cold," Gibbs said. Lewis stood up. "Do you have a gym here?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" Tony answered.

"That's were she'll be. She runs when she's angry, only if there's nowhere to ride a skateboard. And she left that here."

"She needs an NCIS ID," Ziva said. Tony looked in his drawer for his. "Well, she took mine. So, I would say that's a good guess." Lewis walked the way Taz had stormed off. "You don't know where you're going!" Tony yelled. Lewis kept walking.

* * *

Brandon sat at the interrogation table. He looked worried. Gibbs walked into the room and sat down. "Hey, man. It's Christmas Eve. I've got places to be," Brandon said.

"I understand. Where were you three days ago at ten p.m.?" Gibbs asked.

"At home, sick." Gibbs pulled the picture of Gary from the file. Then, he pulled out the picture of the gun. "We found your fingerprints on this weapon. It was used to kill this man. Can you explain?"

"That's my weapon, but I didn't kill him."

"What the hell was your weapon doing at this crime scene?" Gibbs asked. He slammed his hand on the table. "I don't know! Honest!" Brandon said. Gibbs pulled out a phone record sheet. "You made a call to Derrick Preston. Do you know what he was arrested for yesterday?" Gibbs asked. Brandon shook his head. "Illegal explosives. He made them, you called him, got you a nice bomb that would destroy the evidence. You hoped it would kill the investigator who found the gun. I've got you for the murder of Gary Johnson." Brandon sighed. Tony came in and cuffed him. He walked him out to the bullpen. Lewis stopped him. "Why?" He asked.

"I'm not telling you."

"He was my best friend, Brandon," Taz said. He shook his head. She punched him in the face. "Go to hell," Lewis said. Brandon laughed and spit the blood out of his mouth. "I'm already there."

* * *

**A/N: Well, at least they found him before Christmas Morning! How bout McGee growing a pair?! I honestly think he is going to snap on Tony one day. please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N: Well, I thought we were getting back on track. Guess not. Sorry bout that. Anyways, thank you for your review! This is the Christmas chapter! Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Ziva! How long does it take to get dressed?" Tony asked through the bedroom door. It was eight o' clock. They hadn't planned on Christmas dinner to be this late, but they didn't have anywhere to be in the morning. Tony went back downstairs. Emma came bounding down the hallway. She looked at him from the railing. "I honestly like that shirt, by the way. It really brings out your eyes," Emma said. Tony looked down at his blue shirt. "Thanks," he said back. She smiled and come down the stairs. Ziva walked out of the bedroom. Tony's jaw dropped when he saw her. She had a red sweater dress on that hugged every curve. It looked amazing on her, especially with the black tights on underneath it. She had a pair of boots on. Her hair was down in soft curls. "I think you dropped somethin', Tony," Emma said, standing on her tip toes to push his mouth closed. Ziva smiled. He tried to snap out of his trance. It took Ziva pressing her lips against his to bring him back to earth. "You look amazing, Ziva," Tony said.

"You do not look that bad, yourself." There was a knock at the door. Emma looked at the two of them. They didn't move. They were lost in each other's eyes. "Seriously?" She asked. There was another knock. Emma walked to the door and opened it. Taz and Lewis were on the other side. They didn't have KJ. "Where's KJ?" Emma asked.

"We found a sitter," Lewis said. Emma moved so they could come in. Taz and Lewis took their coats and hats off. "Hey, guys. Seriously, you look like you're having sex with your eyes. Stop it. That's just strange," Taz said. Tony tore his eyes away from Ziva's. "Damn, Taz. You clean up nice." She smiled at him. She had a strand of hair braided back, and her hair was straight. She was wearing a purple, long-sleeve dress with white leggings. Tony looked down at her shoes. She had a pair of purple hi-tops on. "I don't own any fancy shoes, so this was the next best thing." She sat down on the couch. Lewis sat beside her. The rest of the team slowly arrived. "Guess who's late? Like every year?" Abby asked sarcastically. Emma looked around. She found who was missing and frowned. "He's fashionably late," McGee said. He and Tony had apologized to each other. There was a knock at the door. Emma answered it. "You're late," she said. Gibbs smiled at her. She frowned at him. He ruffled her hair and walked in. "Now that everyone is here, we can eat!" Tony exclaimed.

* * *

"You know, I really had fun tonight," Tony said as the last person, Gibbs, left. He turned to Ziva. She look tired. Emma was asleep on the couch. Tony walked over to the couch and picked her up. He let Ziva go up the stairs first, then followed. Ziva was careful to change Emma into her pajamas. Tony helped tuck her into bed. He kissed her forehead. "Sleep tight, Emma." He turned her lamp off and closed the door. When he walked into his and Ziva's bedroom, she was in the bathroom. He stripped down to his boxers. Ziva came out in his t-shirt. She look upset. "What's wrong?" Tony asked, walking over to her.

"This," she lifted up the shirt to expose her stomach. Tony looked at it, then at her. "I don't see what the problem is," Tony said.

"I am starting to show. That means by our wedding, I will be huge!" She said. Tony put his hands on her arms and kissed her forehead. He ran his hands up and down her arms. "Ziva, I won't care if you're huge or not. You know why?" She shook her head. "Because I know that those are our babies in there," he brought his hands down to her stomach. "And I wouldn't want it any other way." She smiled and kissed him. He rested his forehead against hers. Tony went to the bathroom. When he came out, Ziva was already in bed. Her hand wasn't under the pillow. He laid beside her, her back against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and his hand came to a rest on her stomach. He smiled when hers came to rest on top of his. "I love you, Tony," Ziva whispered.

"I love you, too," Tony said. He stayed awake, though. When he looked up at the clock, it was one a.m. He removed his hand from her stomach. He moved away from her. Her face became a frown, and her hand slipped under her pillow. He kissed her head. "Why did you move away?" She murmured.

"I'll be back, I promise." He pulled a sweatshirt and sweatpants on. He put his shoes on. Ziva turned to look at him. "Where are you going?" She hissed. He didn't know why she was angry. "Somebody's got to be Santa for a little girl to at least believe in the spirit of Christmas." He crossed the room to kiss her. She smiled and rolled back over. "I won't be gone long." He opened the door and walked down the stairs. The Christmas Tree's lights were still on. He grabbed his keys and walked out into the cold Christmas night.

* * *

Emma woke up to see light shining through her window. She smiled and jumped out of bed. She opened her door and ran down the hallway. She opened Tony and Ziva's door. She ran and leapt on Tony. He let out a breath and opened his eyes. Ziva was awake as well. "I think we have a visitor, Ziva."

"I would say so." Emma smiled at them. Tony pretended to look confused. "What are you so happy about?"

"It's Christmas!" Emma exclaimed. She got up and pulled Tony's hand. "Come on, get up. Come on, get up!" Tony sighed and got up. He had kept his sweatpants on from when he went out earlier that morning. Ziva stood up and went to the bathroom. "Give us a second, Emma," Tony said. She sighed and sat on the bed. Tony knelt by Ziva to hold her hair back. She turned to glare at him. "I know, I know. It's all my fault," Tony said. She rolled her eyes and stood up. She flushed the toilet and rinsed her mouth out with water. Tony walked back out of the bathroom. Emma looked at him. Ziva came out and took his hand. He smiled. "Well, what are you waiting for, Emma?" Tony asked. She smiled and ran out the door. Tony and Ziva followed. They came down the stairs. Under the tree was a pile of gifts. In the middle of them in a basket was a small puppy. It had a pink bow around it's neck. "Oh, my goodness!" Emma exclaimed. Tony sat on the couch. Ziva sat in his lap. "What are you naming her, Emma?" Tony asked. She thought for a minute. "Ace," Emma said.

"Why Ace?" Tony asked.

"That was Teddy's dog's name. He was a Marine dog, but he died earlier this year." Ace barked and licked Emma's face. She giggled happily. Emma looked at a few gifts and sat them aside. When she was done opening her gifts, she handed the other ones to Tony or Ziva. "What's this?" Ziva asked Tony. She opened the present. "I know how much you liked those earrings, so I bought them for you. Merry Christmas, Ziva." She kissed him. He opened his gift next. It was a new watch. "Are you saying I need a new watch?" Tony asked. Ziva smiled. "You did not notice that your old one had stopped working?"

"No, I didn't."

"Oh. I might have had something to do with that, but I might not have." Tony looked at the watch and then at her. "I needed a new one anyway," Tony said. Emma put the collar Tony had bought on Ace's neck. She didn't put up as much of a fight as he had expected. She looked up at him. "What?" Tony asked. She barked. "Great. Now I'm talking to dogs. It's official. I've gone crazy."

"Gone? It was official about five years ago, Tony," Emma said. Tony looked at her. "You didn't even know me five years ago."

"No, but Ziva did. Am I right about that?" Emma asked Ziva. She nodded. Tony glared at her. "Since it's Christmas, I'll let that one slide," Tony said. He stood up to make them breakfast.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you go! Christmas chapter! Genders and names are coming up fast! I'm still going to let you vote on names! Please tell me what you think and if you have any suggestions! Thank you for reading!**


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N: I'm really sorry. Time has been a major struggle in my life right now. But I'm getting the chapters up. Thank you for all your reviews and such! I really appreciate them! On with the show I suppose!**

* * *

Tony looked up at the clock. It was three a.m. He rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. Ziva sat up straight. "I am going to murder her," she growled. Tony ran his hands over his face. "Is that what you're going to say when we have the midnight, three a.m. and five a.m. wake up calls? Because we've got two to deal with when that time comes," Tony said.

"Children are different," Ziva said.

"God, Ziva. She's just a puppy. Leave her alone," Tony said, getting up to see what Ace was whining about. "Tony, she is three months old now. Surely she can sleep through the night."

"I think she was better at that when we got her at seven weeks old. Just like you were better with idioms before you went back to Israel." Tony opened the door. He walked down the hallway. They had been keeping Ace downstairs in a pen. Just until she could sleep through the night without having an accident in the house. He walked down the stairs. When he approached the pen, Ace's whining stopped. She looked up at him and started wagging her tail. "Do you have to go outside?" Tony asked. Ace barked. "Okay, I would tell you to hush, but you've already woken up D.C." He picked her up and carried her to the door. "You're getting heavy. Did you know that?" He turned his face to look at Ace. She licked him. He opened the door and put her down. At least they had a fenced in backyard. He stood in the cold January air. Ace sniffed, peed, then came trotting back to him. "Are you done now?" He asked. Ace barked. He knelt down to pick her up. She jumped back. "No, Ace. We're not playing right now." She ducked her head and crept to him. He picked her up and carried her back inside. He walked back up the stairs. She started whining and barking again. "Really?" He asked. She put her front paws on the gate. He walked back over to her. "Okay, but only for tonight. You understand?" Tony asked, squatting in front of her. She wagged her tail in response. Tony carried her up to the bedroom. "We have a visitor," Tony said.

"Honestly, Tony?" Ziva asked. She stood up and walked over to him. He smiled at her. "You look great, honestly," Tony said. Ziva was three months pregnant now. She didn't look like she was three months, however. She barely even looked like she was pregnant. "Shut up," she snapped. Tony kissed her head. He put Ace on the bed and went to the bathroom. When he came back, Ace was on his side of the bed. "Not cool," Tony said. He tried to move her. She growled. "You don't scare me. Your growl's too cute," Tony said. He picked her up and moved her over. He laid down. When he rolled over, Ace was glaring at him. Her ears couldn't decide what to do, so they were stuck between standing up and being floppy. She gave him a kiss and rested her head on his chest. He smiled and saw Ziva's eyes looking at him. He reached for her hand. She laced her fingers with his.

* * *

Tony woke up to find Ace attacking his feet. "Ouch!" He exclaimed. Ziva came up beside him and held his legs down to stop the reflex of kicking Ace. "Thanks," He said. She nodded and picked Ace up. Tony got out of bed. He was extremely happy that Ziva's morning sickness had calmed down. She pulled on a pair of his sweatpants. "What if I wanted to wear those?" He asked.

"Then you would be finding another pair to wear, would you not?" Ziva snapped. She carried Ace out the door. He laughed to himself and put a t-shirt on. He had to find another pair of sweatpants since Ziva took his. He followed her down the hallway. Emma was sitting on the couch when he came back down. "Your dog decided to wake the dead at three this morning," Tony said. He sat down beside her. "I didn't hear her," Emma said.

"How did you not hear that?" Ziva asked. Ace was eating breakfast. "I sleep with my music turned on." Tony shook his head and reached for the remote. He turned the TV on. "Are we just gonna sit around all day?" Emma asked.

"I don't know. Did you have something planned?" Tony asked.

"Well, Macy thought it would be a good idea if I took Ace over to their house to play with Fido."

"Who's Fido?"

"Macy's puppy. She got him for her birthday last week."

"That's an original name," Tony said. Ace came running into the living room. She tried to turn, but puppies on hardwood floors can't exactly make sharp turns. She slid past the couch. "Hey, Ace, I'm giving you a seven on that. Is that okay?" Emma asked. Ace walked this time. She approached the couch. She tried to get on the couch. "Wait! Ace, sit," Emma said. Ace sat down. "Good girl!" Emma said, petting her head. She helped Ace onto the couch. She put her front paws on Tony's arm. "Can I help you?" Tony asked. Ace laid down and put her head on her paws. She closed her eyes. Ziva came in. "She sleeps more than you, Tony."

"I don't sleep much anymore," Tony said.

"This morning was the first morning in a while that she has whined," Ziva said.

"I know, I was talking about Miss Restless Sleeper. I swear you attack me in your dreams," Tony said. She smiled. "I am not attacking you in my dreams, Tony."

"Then who are you attacking?" Tony asked. Ziva sat beside him. "Emma, go take a bath and get dressed. Macy's mother said you could go over today," Ziva said. Emma smiled and ran up the stairs. Ziva waited until her door shut. "You are in my dreams, Tony. I am just not attacking you... in a painful way. Well, painful for me. But you enjoy the pain," Ziva purred. Tony turned his head to look at her. She wrapped her arms around him. "What exactly do you do to me in your dreams?" Tony asked. Ziva had a wicked smirk on her face. She put her lips to his ear. "Anything and everything," she whispered. Her breath tickled Tony's ear. She slid her hands down his body. She stopped at the waistband of his sweatpants. He never lost eye contact with her. "You would normally be melting by now, Tony."

"Oh, no. I'm not giving into a horny Ziva until Emma's out of the house," Tony said. She slid her hand over the top of his sweatpants. "Oh, really?" Ziva asked. Tony nodded. "That knee of yours says otherwise." She felt the bulge through the pants. His lips curved into smile. "What can I say? It's hard to control my knee when you're in this kind of mood."

"Then what was your excuse when we were under cover?" Ziva asked.

"I was faking sex with you, Ziva. The extremely hot Mossad officer who's dangerous side turned me on." She narrowed her eyes at him. He grabbed her hand before she could hit him. "Is Macy's mom picking Emma up?" Tony asked. Ziva nodded. "Is Ace going with her?"

"I think so."

"Good. She is giving me grey hair," Tony said. Emma came down the stairs. "I think that's a mixture of me, Taz and Ace," she said. She crossed the room and sat down by Tony. Ziva kissed him and pulled her hand free. She stood up and braided Emma's hair. "I think it's mostly Taz, actually," Tony said. Taz had been picking Emma up from school. She brought her to the Navy Yard and stayed for a while. Tony didn't know how anyone could put up with either one of them. Emma was... well, Emma. And Taz constantly shut down his attempts to either make a joke about something or to pick on her about things. "She just likes arguing with you, Tony," Ziva said.

"I don't like arguing with her," Tony said.

"Yeah, because she always wins," Emma said. She laughed. Ziva finished Emma's hair right when the knock at the door came. Emma stood up, grabbed a few of Ace's things and carried Ace to the door. She told them good bye. When the car pulled away, Ziva sat back down by Tony. "I'll give into you now," Tony said. Ziva smiled at him. She moved to where she was on his lap, her knees on either side of him. She pressed her lips against his. She pulled his shirt off. He pulled her pants off. She pulled back from the kiss. "The couch? Really?" She asked.

"Where do you prefer?" Tony asked, leaning in for another kiss. She pulled back again. "Here is fine for now, but I was thinking more along the shower lines." She removed his pants. He kissed her again. She shivered when his hands slipped under the sweatshirt. This time, Tony pulled back. "What's up with the sudden horny Ziva? You were mad at me fifteen minutes ago."

"You do not like it?" Ziva asked, pouting. Tony pulled her sweatshirt all the way off. She had a tank top on underneath. "Hell no. I'm starting to really love this pregnant Ziva." He kissed her chest. She pulled his head up. She kissed him. "I think that shower sounds good now," Tony whispered against her lips. He picked her up and carried her to their bathroom.

* * *

**A/N: Great, now Tony's having conversations with Ace now. Gotta love Ace, though. Chapter sixty is going to be the big reveal of genders and names! Just hold on until then! Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N: Hey guys! I actually got this one up early! I've got time to kill. Like, a lot of time. Thank goodness for that! Thank you for all the reviews and follows and such. BTW... we hit 200 on reviews! Thanks for that! I love you guys! Y'all are awesome! Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Anthony DiNozzo! You are going to help clean if it is the last thing you ever do!" Ziva exclaimed. Sunday had become cleaning day. "When did we decide to clean every week?" Tony asked, getting the broom from the closet.

"When you decided to get a puppy," Ziva snapped. "Emma is cleaning her room, so the least you could do is sweep," Ziva said. Ace came down the stairs. "Have you noticed that she isn't as dark as she used to be?" Tony asked.

"Puppies are born darker than what they'll end up being," Ziva said. She opened the back door so Ace could go out. "She's getting heavy," Tony said.

"Then stop carrying her. She has legs and as much as you and Emma carry her, she might not know how to use them." Ziva unloaded the dishwasher. Tony stood with the broom in his hands. "I need you to sweep all the floors-" Tony cut her off.

"So, what do I do for the bedrooms?"

"You vacuum the carpets. You know, with the vacuum cleaner?" Ziva said. Tony tilted his head to the side. "What else would you like me to do, princess?"

"Oh, honey. I'm the queen in this house hold," Ziva snapped. Tony's smirk went away. "Are you sure you want me using this broom?" He asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I just didn't know if you wanted me using your mode of transportation to sweep the floors." Ziva slammed the cabinet door shut. She walked up to him. "Your only one letter off, Tony."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"She means instead of a witch, she's a bitch," Taz said, walking in the front door. Tony turned around. "Why, yes, Taz. Do come in," he said. She took her coat off and tossed her backpack onto the couch. She put KJ's carrier down. "Figured I could come help you clean the castle you live in. And I stole your badge, Tony." She tossed him the badge. He caught it. "How did you get this?" He asked.

"I took it from your belt when you were leaving Friday. Before I took Emma to the park. I'm guessing you two came home and were too preoccupied to notice," Taz said. She answered her phone that was ringing. Tony turned to Ziva. "Please tell me Emma isn't going to be like her?" Tony asked.

"She will not be our problem when that time comes," Ziva answered. Taz held her phone to her ear with her shoulder and picked KJ up. She pulled a bottle out of her bag and fed KJ. Ziva smiled. "What else did you want me to do, Ziva?" Tony asked.

"Sweep, vacuum, dust if you can and please try to clean up the mess that has been created in our room."

"That wasn't just my fault," Tony said. He smiled and kissed her. She went back to the kitchen to finish cleaning.

* * *

Around noon, they decided to take a break. KJ was on her stomach on the floor. She looked up at Tony with her big grey eyes. He raised his eyebrows at her. She giggled. Ace slowly approached her. She walked around behind her. KJ moved and Ace jumped back about five feet. Emma and Taz came down the stairs. "So, you still haven't gotten your skateboard back, Taz?" Emma asked.

"No, I think he finished it. But I'm willing to bet he's waiting until my birthday to get it back to me."

"When's your birthday?"

"Next week." Emma sat by Tony. Taz pulled her phone from her back pocket and sat on the other couch. Ziva sat by Taz. "So, what was up with the whole witch and bitch thing this morning?" Taz asked.

"Ziva told me what chores I had to do. I asked her if there was anything else I could do for her. I called her princess. She told me that she was the queen of this house hold. Then, I asked her if she wanted me using her mode of transportation to sweep the floor. You heard the rest."

"Damn, and I though mine and Lewis' arguments were bad. KJ woke us up at two this morning. I told him it was his turn. He asked if we were taking turns now. Let's just say, he lost that argument... bad."

"Speaking of Lewis, where is Mister Doctor in Training?" Tony asked.

"He had a call this morning. I don't know if it was work related or if he really just wanted to get out of the house. Either way, He's somewhere," Taz said. She looked back down at her phone. Ace peeked her head from behind the couch. She had a new approach to find out what KJ was. She went towards the front this time. She sniffed KJ's face and started licking her. KJ giggled. Tony's phone started ringing. He stood up and answered. Ziva was about to ask Taz something when Tony started yelling. All three of them looked up. "You do this every time! Why can't you just tell me before you get here? I understand that you want to see me because both you and me thought I was going to die. No, that's not the point. I- She- What- Okay, fine." He hung up the phone and slammed it onto the counter. "I know that face!" Taz exclaimed. "Somebody's not happy that their dad's in town!"

"How did you know that?" Tony asked.

"That's the same face Lewis has when his parents arrive without telling him." Tony sighed and sat down. Ace jumped up on the couch. "Let me guess, we have dinner tonight?" Tony shook his head. "Tomorrow?" He shook his head. "When?" Ziva asked.

"In about ten minutes."

"Where?" Emma asked.

"Here," Tony said. Ziva sighed. "Well, we still have cleaning to do, so time to get back to work."

"What else do we have to clean?" Tony asked.

"Not much," Ziva said. Tony grumbled something under his breath. Taz's phone rang. "Wait, guys! You need to hear this argument that is about to go down between me and this girl. Take a seat." She answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Taz. I have a problem with what you said to me at school the other day," The girl on the other side of the line said.

"I don't care about your problems, Gracie."

"You're just a screwed up bitch who thinks everyone likes you," Gracie said.

"I'm not screwed up, but I'm a bitch who will beat the shit out of you if you don't stop flirting with Lewis when he comes to visit me during lunch."

"Please, he could so much better than you. And I really doubt you could beat the shit out of me," Gracie said.

"Really? Because if you look really close at his left hand, and I know you're stalking him at the mall right now, what do you see?" Taz asked.

"A wedding ring?" Gracie asked.

"Yeah, you know who has the matching ring? The screwed up bitch."

"I seriously doubt it. He's probably just some dude you had to pay to pretend to be your husband."

"Oh, really? Well, believe what ever you want. Just so you know, all your fantasies about having sex with him are lies. He doesn't like being on top. He prefers it when I'm on top. And he likes a tight squeeze. You've had sex too many times to suit his needs." Tony's jaw dropped. Emma looked confused. It was too late to cover her ears now. "Don't you have some beers to drink or something?" Gracie asked.

"No, but don't you have some cocks to blow?" Taz snapped back. There was no reply. "I think we're done here," Taz said. She hung up. "Oh, my God. Who the hell was that?" Tony asked.

"Some stupid whore who sleeps with every person she can." Taz stood up and stretched. Her and Emma went upstairs. Tony still had the stunned expression on his face. "Did she really just..." Tony trailed off.

"Yeah," Ziva said. He shook his head and stood up. "And she gets mad at us when we have our conversations," Tony said.

* * *

**A/N: Just so you know, that was seriously and argument between my best friend and her nemesis. I actually made it sound a lot better than what was really said. Gotta love Taz! :) Please tell me what you think! Working towards the big chapter 60! Thank you for reading!**


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N: God! I keep thinking I'm going to have time during the day! But I never do! Sorry, sorry, sorry about the time. It's insane, I know! I'm already tired, so let me just get to the point... here's chapter 59! Please enjoy!**

* * *

The knock at the door came. Ziva opened the door. "Ziva! My goodness! You look stunning!" Senior hugged her and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. And who do we have here?" Senior asked, looking at Taz and Emma. "This is Emma Kelly, we are her legal guardians while her mother is away for business. This is her half-sister, Taz." Senior extended his hand to Emma and Taz. Emma smiled at him. Taz just stared. "Where's Junior?"

"I think he's outside chasing the dog," Taz said. She walked to the back door. "Hey, Tony! Get your ass in here!" She yelled. Tony came through the back doors. "Hey, dad," He said.

"Junior, why didn't you inform me you had such beautiful women in your life?"

"I did. I told you about Ziva and I told you about Emma. Taz just recently came into our lives." They all sat down in the living room. Tony sat a little too straight. Taz, of course, had to say something. "Jeez, Tony. Did your spine lock up or something?"

"No, I just like sitting up straight," Tony said.

"So, I'm interested in something. Are you really just a time-traveler and this isn't really your dad? It's you aged about twenty years?" Taz asked. Senior laughed. "We get that a lot."

"I honestly think you're a hell of a lot more handsome than this dude." Taz motioned to Tony. He glared at her. "I do too," Senior said.

"Dad, really?" Tony asked. Taz smiled. "So, dad. Why are you here?" Tony asked.

"Do we really have to go through this process every time I come to visit my son?"

"Yes, we do. Because you usually have something important to tell me," Tony said. Senior sighed. "I just wanted to come by and visit. I'm heading to Florida for vacation. I won't be in town for much longer. Just today and tomorrow."

"Taz and Emma, can you excuse us?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, you're excused," Taz said. She raised her eyebrows and stood up when she received a glare from Ziva. She and Emma went upstairs to the guest bedroom where KJ was taking her nap. "Dad, why are you here?" Tony asked again.

"I have a problem, Junior."

"I figured that," Tony said. Senior took a deep breath. "Son, I'm sorry for all those years I wasn't there for you. That's why I'm here. I want to apologize," Senior said.

"It's okay, all's forgiven." Ziva detected the lie in his voice. She squeezed his hand. "We need to tell him, Tony," She said. He nodded. "Dad, Ziva and I have great news. We're getting married."

"And?" Senior asked.

"She's pregnant," Tony said. Senior smiled. "That's great! It's about time you came to your senses, Junior. How many times did I tell you to sweep this beautiful woman off her feet?"

"Many times," Tony said. He lowered his head and looked at his and Ziva's hands. "So, Ziva, have you seen any of your family recently?" Tony tensed up when his father asked that. Ziva took a deep breath and pulled her hand loose of his. "No, I have not. The last time I saw my father was last year. He came to D.C., but..." she trailed off. Tony wrapped his arm around her. "Oh, God. Ziva... I didn't know. I'm sorry," Senior said. She stood up. "Please excuse me," She said. She walked to the back door. Tony followed. She sat on the patio. "Ziva," he grabbed her hands. She pulled them away. Tony took his sweatshirt off and gave it to Ziva. She put it on. "You've been so brave, you know that right?" He asked. She nodded. "I have been brave because everything has been perfect, almost like..." she stopped. Tony finished her thought, "A fairy-tale." She nodded. He grabbed her hands. "But then, I think back to that night. And I know that fairy-tales are stupid pieces of shit that only cause more heartbreak." She shook her head and looked down.

"Their not stupid pieces of shit. Ziva, you have the whole princess being saved by the knight who killed the dragon. The girl who has a horrible life but gets a happy ending. Every fairy-tales can't be perfect. I sure as hell know ours isn't. But I don't want to change anything about it. Ziva, you're my fairy tale... _my_ happy ending," Tony said. She brought her head up and kissed him. They stayed out there a little longer.

* * *

After Senior was out the door, Tony let out a sigh of relief. "He just wants to be closer to you, Tony," Ziva said.

"He sent me away after my mother died. Then, he was with a new woman every night," Tony said.

"Sounds like you before you... swept me off my feet. Met your happy ending," Ziva said. She walked away from him. Taz smirked at him from across the room. "One-night stands? Really?" She asked.

"Oh, like you didn't ever do that!" He replied. She shook her head. "Nope. All the guys I slept with were friends."

"I never thought I would be having this conversation with a sixteen-year-old."

"Well, I wasn't exactly raise right," Taz said. She stood up and crossed the room. "You're not even fully raised yet, and you're married."

"And you're not grown up yet, and you're the father of two children," Taz said.

"I'm grown up," Tony said. Taz stepped closer to him. Their chests touching. She was shorter than Ziva. "I'm not grown, but I know when to forgive someone, Tony."

"He sent me away before I could mourn about my mother's death."

"When Gary brought me home from the fishing trip gone bad, my mom wasn't there. She was _never_ there for me." Taz started tearing up. "But I was always there for her. When her boyfriend left her, to talk her out of an abortion, when she got sick, when she went into labor and when she died." She let a tear roll down her cheek. "She beat me, didn't give a shit about me and kicked me out. I hated her for that. When she needed me... when I was the _only_ person in the world left for her, I was there. I never left her side. You're the only person left to your dad. Be there for him, please. Before it's too late." She lowered her head. Tony wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest. "You still have your father, Tony. Please don't stay mad at him for something that happened in the past. Please," Taz said. Tony put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away from his chest. He looked her in the eye. "I'll try, Taz. I promise," he said. Taz smiled and pulled free from his grasp. "I've got to go," Taz said. She went upstairs to get KJ. When she came back down, she put her coat on and grabbed her bag. "Where are you going?" Ziva asked.

"Softball practice."

"On a Sunday? In January? At three o' clock?" Tony asked. She nodded. "First game's Tuesday. I expect you'll be there, right?" She asked. Tony looked at Ziva. "I guess we will."

"Good. I'll bring you a schedule for games, times and locations. You don't have to go to the away games, but if your not trying to find a mad killer, I expect you at most of the home games. Just so I have people cheering me on," Taz said. Tony grabbed KJ's bag. He opened the door for her. "So, what position do you play?" Tony asked.

"You'll have to find out for yourself."

"Thanks for your help today, Taz," Tony said. She closed the back door. "You're welcome. I'll bring Emma over tomorrow after school's out."

"Sounds like a plan," Tony said. Taz smiled and got into the car.

* * *

"Boss, since we don't have a case right now..." Tony began. Gibbs looked up at him. "Can we go to Taz's softball game?" He finished.

"I thought that was the plan the whole time. We're all going," Gibbs said. Tony gave him a questioning look. "You, Ziver, McGee, Me, Emma, Ducky and Abby," Gibbs said.

"That was the plan?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, I think you and DiNozzo were in the bathroom yesterday when that was discussed," Gibbs said. Emma looked up at them. "Are you still puking?" She asked Ziva.

"I was not the one puking this time. He ate something that obviously did not agree with him," Ziva said. Emma smirked and looked at Tony. "Is there something you need to tell us, Tony?" She asked.

"Yes... I'm pregnant," Tony said sarcastically. Emma stuck her tongue out at him. "I hope your face freezes like that one day," Tony said.

"When did your face freeze like that?" Emma asked. Ziva stared at her with a smile being held back. "Oh, my God. You've been around Taz too much," Tony said. He shook his head and stood up. "Time to go," He said.

They looked around and found Taz standing with a group of girls. She turned around and smiled at them. She jogged over to them. "I think there's something on your shoes, Taz," Tony said.

"It's called metal cleats, Tony. Get it together," Taz said. She bent down and gave Emma a hug. "Are you not cold?" Ziva asked. Taz shook her head. "Nope. I've got two Under Armors on, this is a warm jersey and you'll see why I stay warm in the game."

"Just so I get things clear, are you left-handed, too?" Abby asked.

"No, I'm right handed. Emma gets that from Carroll," Taz followed them to the bleachers. They sat down. "Where are all your earrings and nose piercing?" Tony asked.

"Damn rules are no jewelry. And I learned my lesson from wearing my earrings during a softball game. Tore my ear open," Taz said. "Hey, Ziva?" Taz asked.

"Yes?"

"Can you braid my hair?" She asked. Ziva nodded. Taz climbed the bleachers and sat in front of Ziva. "One or two?"

"One. French braided, please." Ziva braided Taz's hair. Right when she finished, the coach called them over to the dug-out. "Good luck," Tony said.

"Thanks!" Taz yelled back. She walked into the dug-out. "Interesting child, don't you think?" Ducky asked. Tony nodded. "She's a piece of work." The home team took the field. "Do you see her?" Emma asked. Gibbs pointed to the catcher. "Never would've guessed she was a catcher," he said.

"I never would've guessed she played softball," Tony said. They watched her throw the ball to second base. "Got a cannon, too," Gibbs said. The home team got three outs quickly. Lead off batter for Taz's team, was none other than, Taz. The pitcher walked her. The coach motioned to the dug-out, but Taz shook her head. "What was that?" Emma asked.

"Coach was gonna put a person in to run for Taz so she won't get hurt or tired. She wants to run bases, though," Gibbs explained. Taz got set to run. She shot off the bag and went to second base. The catcher threw the ball, but Taz was already there. "Damn she's fast!" Abby said. The rest of the game was kind of boring. Until Taz came up to bat again. She hit a line drive over the fence. That hit won the game. Tony smiled as her team gathered around home plate. "Is there anything she can't do?" Tony asked.

"She can't give up on a dream," Emma said. Tony looked down at her and smiled. He wanted Emma and Taz to remain close, just like sisters should.

* * *

**A/N: I'm basing a lot of things about Taz on my life. Not all of it, but most of it. I play softball... and that was how my first game this year went. That was a long time ago, like all the way back in January, but I remember! So... who's like, totally pumped about tomorrow's chapter? It's gonna be a good one! I at least hope it will. **

**Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N: So, it's time for the main event!(you know, other than the day they get married and the day the DiNozzo duo is born) Genders and names shall be revealed! Two names shall be given for each DiNozzo child. I will allow you to vote.** **Now, without further a-do(or however you spell it) I launch chapter 60!**

* * *

Tony and Ziva sat in the waiting room. Today was the day they would find out the genders of their babies. Ziva was eighteen weeks pregnant, and it was becoming obvious that she was. She just didn't look like she was pregnant with twins yet. He and Ziva were called back to a room. They sat for a few more minutes. He didn't notice his leg was bouncing up and down until Ziva placed her hand on his thigh to stop him. "Relax, everything will be okay," she said.

"I'm just nervous," Tony said.

"About what?" Ziva asked.

"This is the first ultrasound I've been to. Damn criminals keep murdering Marines on the days of all the other ones." She smiled and took his hand. He looked into her eyes. "I have been nervous every single one of them."

"Why?" Tony asked. He saw worry, not nerves in her facial expression. She was about to answer when a lady walked in. "Hi, Ziva."

"Hello, Jayme," Ziva said. "This is my fiance` Tony. Tony, this is Jayme."

"Nice to me you, Jayme," Tony said. Jayme smiled and shook his hand. "Okay, Ziva. You know the drill," Jayme said. Ziva laid back in the chair. She lifted her shirt to just above her bump that was beginning to form. She felt Tony's gaze. She reached for his hand. "I have a question, Jayme," Ziva said. Jayme put gloves on. "I have not felt them move yet. Is that normal?" She asked. Jayme stopped what she was doing. "How many weeks are you?" Jayme asked.

"Eighteen," Tony said. Jayme went back to what she was doing. "That's rather odd. With twins, you usually feel them by now. With your history and previous condition, that may be a problem. Have you had any abdominal pain?" Jayme asked.

"Other than a few cramps here and there, no," Ziva said. Jayme put the gel on Ziva's stomach and spread it. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, then." Ziva looked up at Tony. He clenched his jaw. She squeezed his hand. "Okay, are you ready?" Jayme asked. They both nodded. Tony felt his heart pounding against his chest. She put the transducer against her stomach and clicked something on the computer. Their babies' heartbeats filled the room. Tony smiled. He looked on the screen. There were two masses. Jayme moved the transducer around. "Everything looks perfect. Are you ready to know the genders?" She asked. Tony nodded, but Ziva shook her head. "Do not tell us. Please write it down on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope. Separate envelopes." Jayme smiled. She wrote something down on a piece of paper. She moved the transducer around. She had a frown on her face. "What?" Tony asked, suddenly felling nervous again.

"Ah, there we go!" Jayme said. She picked up the two pieces of paper and folded them. She put them both in envelopes. She wrote Baby A and Baby B on them. When the ultrasound was complete, Tony helped Ziva out of her chair. "Let's go get lunch," Tony said.

* * *

"What's your previous condition she was talking about?" Tony asked when they were riding back to work. Ziva didn't answer. Tony stopped at a red light. "Ziva, answer me."

"It is nothing," she said. Tony looked to see if it was clear and cut across the lanes of traffic to get to a parking lot. Ziva grabbed the handle in the car. "And you complain about my driving!" Tony stopped the car. He unbuckled and turned to face Ziva. "Tell me, please." He took her hands. She sighed. "When I came back from Somalia, I was told that my possibilities of children were slim. If I was to be able to get pregnant, I would have a greater chance at a miscarriage. I have been scared to death at every ultrasound because of that. When we found out I was pregnant, I was thrilled. Then, I thought about the fact that I could lose our child. I was afraid you would leave me because it would be my fault." Ziva started crying.

"Damn, Ziva. I'm tired of this weakness you've been showing. About the twins, not about... anything else. I would never leave you, no matter what. I love you, and my even if you couldn't have children or if for some reason you had lost them, I wouldn't leave you. I wouldn't blame you. I wouldn't stop loving you. I won't, I can't and Gibbs would kill me if I ever did."

"I would be more frightened of Abby or Emma," Ziva said. Tony smiled and kissed her. "I'm honestly more scared of Taz right now. She's like a ninja without all the special training."

"Thank you, Tony. For being there for me. You were always there for me," Ziva said. Tony kissed her again. "And I will continue to be as long as we both shall live, till death do us part." Ziva smiled against his lips. He pulled back and started the car again. They weren't too far from work, so it was only a five minute drive.

When they got into the bullpen, Abby came running up to them. "Boys? Girls? Both?"

"Calm down, Abbs," Gibbs said. Tony and Ziva put their things down. Ziva pulled out the envelopes. She handed them to Gibbs. "I want you to tell us," she said. Gibbs opened the first envelope. "Baby A." A huge smile spread across his face. He looked up at them. "Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed.

"I know a great place to get blue paint," Gibbs said. Tony smiled. He pulled Ziva into a hug. "A son, Ziva. We're having a son!" Gibbs opened the second envelope. He started laughing. "Sugar and Spice," he said. Tony's jaw dropped. Ziva had tears of joy form in her eyes. Tony turned to her. He kissed her. "Dear God, I hope she gets your beauty," Tony said.

"Boy and Girl! Congrats, guys!" Abby exclaimed. She ran over and hugged them. "Pay up!" Gibbs said. He held out his hand. McGee, Abby, Ducky and Palmer gave him twenty dollars. "I voted both boys," Abby said.

"Girls," McGee said. Ducky agreed with McGee. "Boys," Palmer said. Tony stared at them. "Really? You voted on the genders of our children?" He asked.

"Yeah, um Gibbs. I need half of that," Taz said. Tony turned around and saw Taz in her softball sweats. She looked tired. "Rough day?" Tony asked. She nodded. "I got detention tomorrow, so someone's got to go get Emma."

"What did you do?" Ziva asked.

"Nothing. I just asked for it to be tomorrow instead of today." Taz took half of Gibbs' winnings. She sat down at Tony's desk. "Are you sure that's all that's bothering you?" Tony asked.

"No, I was up all night with KJ. She's sick. The team we play tonight plays dirty. I got my skateboard back later than I wanted it to. My bat cracked yesterday at practice. It hasn't been a good twenty-four hours."

"I'm sorry, Taz. Maybe you should sit out this game tonight," Tony said. She looked at him as if he had another head. "Please, this is the team we were playing last year in the state championship game. We won, but I broke my leg. I want to kick their ass so hard the next generation feels it," Taz said. Tony laughed. He sat down in Ziva's chair and grabbed a sticky note. "Names," he said. She read it: Boy- Jethro Teddy DiNozzo. Girl- Tali`Jennifer DiNozzo. She wrote down her name suggestions. Tony read them: Boy- Mike Jethro DiNozzo. Girl- Kelly Caitlyn DiNozzo.

"Hard choices," Tony said. She nodded. "But we will wait until they are born to choose," Ziva said. Tony smiled. "I think that sounds perfect."

* * *

**A/N: Ready, set... VOTE! You can mix n' match names if you want. However, the rule stands that whichever name is voted on the most, that's what I'll choose. I will announce the winners... when they are born. So, you have plenty of time to vote!**

**Please tell me what you think! I need votes and your opinions on my story so far! Thank you sooo much for reading! **


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N: Hey guys! So, a lot of people have voted. That's great! I'm taking votes until the twins are born! Thank you for all your votes and reviews! So, chapter 61! That's like... amazing! On with the show, I suppose!**

* * *

"We've got a missing child. It hasn't been long enough for us to start looking, but we need to look into the situation. The mother thinks her ex-husband has her," Gibbs said. Tony looked up at him. "Boss, Taz has a game tonight. We can't miss it."

"DiNozzo, we've got a missing little girl. Imagine if Emma or your daughter was no where to be found. Would you really want the investigators more worried about a softball game?" Gibbs asked.

"No, I wouldn't. Looking into the husband's records, boss." He started looking. Ziva started looking, too. "Boss, we've got a problem," McGee said, walking in from the bullpen. He was breathing heavily. "Are you okay, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"No, Abby just got an e-mail from our missing child's father. You really need to come down there. It's bad." Gibbs stood up. "You two need to come." They followed McGee and Gibbs down to Abby's lab. Abby had her head in her hands and was staring at the screen. "Gibbs! This is bad, really bad." She pulled the e-mail up. Gibbs and Tony read the message. "Taz is his real target?" Ziva asked.

"That's what it says," Gibbs said. Abby put the laptop back on the table. "What we don't know is why," she said. McGee was searching something on the computer. "She's not safe. Neither are KJ and Lewis."

"Maybe she is not the target," Ziva said. "What if one of us it?"

"That's crazy. If we were the target, he would draw us out by putting someone we're close too in danger," McGee said. "We're not _that_ close to Taz yet." Abby suddenly tensed up. She turned to McGee. "But we're close to Emma. And if Taz is out of the way, Emma will just have another heartbreak to deal with. She'll let her guard down and then, next thing we know, she's gone."

"So, until we know Taz is safe, we can't let her out of our sight," McGee said.

"Where is she?" Abby asked.

"Softball game. Out in the freakin' open," Gibbs said. He, Tony, Ziva and McGee headed back up to the bullpen. "Emma, go down to Abby's lab. Stay there. Don't wander around like you have the habit of doing," Tony said. She stood up and walked to the elevator. The team grabbed their gear. "Boss, are you sure Ziva shouldn't stay?" Tony asked.

"Three agents can't do this, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. Ziva smiled at him as she walked by. He rolled his eyes and followed them.

* * *

The team showed their badges to the woman charging at the front gate. "Federal Agents," Gibbs said. She nodded. "Shit," Gibbs said. He looked at the catcher for the home team. She had brown hair, not blond hair. "Where is she?" Ziva asked. Tony and Gibbs walked to the dug-out. "Hey! You're late!" Taz exclaimed. The physical trainer was looking at her elbow. She had blood coming out of her mouth. "What the hell happened to you?" Tony asked.

"I was covering home plate, the center fielder threw the ball to me. I caught it and went to tag the girl out. She slid into my arm. Her cleats sliced my arm and her helmet busted my mouth. She was out, though." Tony hopped into the dug-out. The coach turned around. "Excuse me, sir. Who are you?"

"Oh, coach. This is Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo from NCIS. Tony, this is my coach."

"Taz, we've got to go," Tony said. She flinched as the trainer wrapped her arm up. "Okay, you're ready to go for next inning," the trainer said.

"Thanks, Deb, but my mouth is still bleeding," Taz said. Deb looked at her mouth. "One of the brackets on your braces game off. Actually, two of them. It looks like they cut your mouth."

"I'll be okay," Taz said. Tony stopped her from getting up. "Taz, we've got to go... _now."_

"Why?" Taz asked. Suddenly, a gun shot fired and the bullet hit the wall above them. "That's why!" Tony exclaimed. He picked her up and jumped back out of the dug-out. He ran to the car. The team ran to the cars. Tony put Taz in the back seat. Another gunshot. The window busted. Tony looked and saw the car that McGee and Ziva had brought. Gibbs jumped in the driver's seat. "What about my team?!" Taz exclaimed.

"They're not the target!" Tony yelled. He shut the door and buckled up. Taz did the same. "Wait! I'm not the target here either!" She shouted.

"What?" Tony asked.

"Look! On the other car!" She pointed to the bottom of the car. Tony saw a flashing red light. "NO!" He shouted as the flashing got faster. Then, the car blew up. Gibbs slammed on the breaks. They stared in horror at the other half of the team. Tony got out of the car. Gibbs grabbed his arm to stop him. "Tony! We can't just run over there!"

"Gibbs! They're gone! What the hell?!" He looked at the flaming mess in front of them. A few minutes later, the fire department put the flames out. He walked to the passenger side of the car. He saw a burnt figure. He looked at the figures left hand and saw a ring. The unrecognizable person had a rounded abdomen. It was Ziva. He dropped slowly to the ground and started crying. "NO! Ziva, please!" He yelled. Gibbs turned away from the horrible sight. He pulled out his phone. "Jethro! Abby just filled me in on what was going on. Is everything alright?" Ducky asked.

"Tell Abby that Taz was never the target. It was either one of us. McGee and Ziva's car just exploded. They were inside," Gibbs said. Ducky took in a sharp breath. "Oh, dear. And Tony?"

"Listen for yourself," Gibbs held the phone out. Tony was still screaming. "That's Anthony?" Ducky asked.

"Yeah. That's Tony screaming like that. The bodies are coming your way. Be prepared." Gibbs hung up. He walked away from the crime scene.

* * *

Tony walked down to Abby's lab. She was in a corner. He sat by her. "Ducky is doing the autopsy now," she said. Tony nodded and stared blankly across the room. Taz was with Lewis upstairs. Emma was with them. "Who was the bastard who did this?" Abby asked.

"I'm betting it was our kidnapper," Tony said. Abby's phone started ringing. Tony stood up and answered. "Anthony, you need to come down here, right now," Ducky said. Tony hung up and walked to Autopsy. "What, Duck?" He asked.

"What were you and Ziva supposed to be having?" Ducky asked.

"Twins. Boy and girl," Tony said dully. He was done crying. "Good grief! Tony! This is not Ziva!" He exclaimed. Tony frowned at him. "What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"This woman was pregnant with twin boys! This is not Ziva!" Ducky exclaimed. Tony felt like a million pound had been lifted from him. "What about McCrispy. Is that him?" Tony asked.

"We don't know yet. If this wasn't Ziva, there is no way Timothy would have gotten into the same car. Whoever this is, it's not our people," Ducky said. Tony thanked him and ran back to Abby's lab. She finished running dental records on the victims. "Abby! It's not them!"

"I know! The dental records just confirmed it!" Tony pulled Abby into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him. They ran up to the director's office. Gibbs was talking with Vance. "Gibbs! It's not Ziva and McGee!" Tony said. Gibbs stood up and looked at them. "Ducky found in the autopsy that whoever the hell that woman was, she was pregnant with twin boys."

"And the dental records don't match Tim," Abby said. Gibbs had a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. "But, we still have no idea where the hell they are," Vance said. Tony's smile faded. "Way to ruin the happy moment, Leon," Gibbs said. He walked past Tony and Abby. "Come on, we've got a lot of work to do," he said.

* * *

**A/N: Had you scared, didn't I! :) Please don't hate me for that! Sorry! Please tell me what you think! I love to hear from you! Thank you for reading! **

**P.S. Sorry for the short a/n. I'm in a rush!**


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N: Had you worried at the last chapter didn't I? :) I almost ended the last chapter with the car being blown up. But I already give enough cliffhangers as it is. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I appreciate them! Well, I guess that's all. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Tony and Gibbs walked down to the bullpen. They immediately got started looking. "They're not dead," Tony said. Taz and Emma looked up. "What?" Taz asked.

"The two people that were in the car... they're not McGee and Ziva. They're still alive," Tony said. He sat down at his desk. "Boss, McGee usually tracks cells," Tony said. Taz stood up. "Okay, I know that civilians aren't even supposed to know about the case, but I think I know someone who can help."

"Who?" Gibbs asked. Taz walked over to McGee's desk. She started looking through his things. "What the hell are you doing?" Lewis asked.

"McGee had a girlfriend. Delilah. Surely he has her number somewhere..." She trailed off and pulled out a piece of paper. "Delilah..." Taz picked up the phone and dialed the number. "Taz, I don't think you should be doing that," Emma said.

"I don't give a shit. They're missing because of me. If I have to go to jail, I'll go to jail." She stopped talking. "Yeah, I'm calling for Timothy McGee... Please! He's missing and is probably in danger. Not to mention he has a pregnant woman with him. Thank you. I need you to track his cell phone for us. Can you do that for me?" She pulled a sticky note from the stack. She wrote something down. "Thanks again." Taz hung up and had a smirk on her face. "And that's how you find your McNerd." She handed Gibbs the sticky note. "Alright. Tony, grab your gear," Gibbs said.

"Can I go?" Taz asked.

"No," Gibbs said briefly. He hit the back of her head when he walked by. "What was that for?" She asked.

"Using his phone," Gibbs said.

"Hey! At least I pay attention to detail!" She shouted as they stepped into the elevator. She turned to Lewis. "You're going to get arrested one day," he said.

"Oh, well. Life will go on," she said.

* * *

Gibbs and Tony pulled up to a barn that was located in the middle of nowhere. Tony went around back. "Can you even see?" Tony asked.

"Nope, but I have other senses, DiNozzo," Gibbs said back. He pushed the door open slightly. He heard voices. He busted through the door. "FEDERAL AGENTS!" He shouted. Two men put their hands up. Tony came behind them and cuffed one of them. Gibbs cuffed the other. They searched the barn. "Boss, they're not here," Tony said, coming down from the hayloft. They saw McGee's phone on the floor. "They've been here. McGee left his phone on purpose," Gibbs said. Tony walked out of the barn. He pulled out a flashlight and looked on the ground. "Gibbs!" He yelled. He pulled on a pair of gloves and picked up a knife. "It's not Ziva's," Tony said. He kept walking towards the corn field. They saw trampled corn. "They drove through here," Tony said. He and Gibbs followed the trail. They looked up on a hill and saw an abandoned shack. A light was in the window. "Gibbs," Tony pointed to the shack.

"Got it," Gibbs said. They pulled out their guns and walked up the hill. They heard a scream. Tony peaked through the window. He saw McGee tied to a chair, a gun held to his temple. He had a smirk on his face. They listened to the conversation. "You killed two of your own people?" He asked.

"Your people believed it was you and the woman," the man said.

"The woman has a name, you know," McGee said. He got punched in the mouth. The man said something in a foreign language. A woman replied. Tony and Gibbs looked at each other when they heard Ziva's bone-chilling scream. McGee struggled against his ropes. "My people are going find you... then they're going to kill you," McGee said.

"I don't think so. They think you're dead."

"She's pregnant. They'll find out it's not her," McGee coughed.

"Our woman was too."

"They'll still know that's not Ziva," McGee said. He got punched again. "I know. She was pregnant with twins. Our woman had twins as well."

"Oh, really? What was she having?" McGee asked.

"Boys," the man said. McGee started laughing. He stopped when the end of the gun connected with his head. "What's so funny?"

"You're a dumb ass. Ziva has a girl and a boy," McGee said. The man pushed McGee's chair over. The man kicked McGee's chest. Tony busted through the door. "Stop!" He yelled. The man turned the gun on Tony. "I will shoot you," the man said. Tony tilted his head to the side. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I don't want to be shot, so you can put that weapon down," Tony said. The man put his finger on the trigger. Tony did the same. "You'll miss," the man said.

"He might, but I will not." Tony looked behind the man and saw Ziva with a gun in her hands. Her face was wet with tears. "I would put the weapon down if I was you," Tony said. The man dropped the weapon. Tony kicked it across the room. Ziva knelt down and untied McGee from the chair. He stood up. "Are you okay, McGee?" Ziva asked. His mouth was bleeding. "I think so," McGee said. Tony grabbed the rope that had been used on McGee and tied the man's hands behind his back. "Where's the little girl?" Tony asked.

"You're too late. She's probably dead by know," the man said. Tony stood the man up. "Where is she?" He asked again. The man looked at the closet. Ziva opened the door. They saw a little girl, lying motionless on the floor. They saw her back rising up and down. "She's still breathing, just not very well," McGee said. He picked her up. Gibbs came out of the back room with a woman. "And that's why you don't piss her off," Gibbs said. The woman had a black eye. "What did you do?" McGee asked.

"I punched her," Ziva said. They walked out of the shack. They went back to the barn. The two other men were still there. "This job really sucks sometimes," McGee said. He carried the girl to the car. Two police cars pulled up. "Bring them to NCIS, please," Gibbs said. The team got in the car. Before Ziva got in, Tony pulled her into a kiss. "Just so you know, I had an emotional breakdown," he whispered against her lips. She looked into his eyes. He wiped the blood away from her eye. She didn't smile, she just pulled back and got in the car.

* * *

After they dropped the girl off at the hospital, and had doctors look at McGee and Ziva, they went back to NCIS. Abby ran and hugged McGee. He almost fell backwards. Tony put his hand on McGee's back to stop him from falling. He walked past them and sat at his desk. Taz hugged Ziva. "I'm so sorry," Taz said.

"Why are you apologizing?" Ziva asked.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" Taz asked.

"No, we found who shot at you and who put the bomb on the car. It was not your fault," Ziva said. Lewis got out of her chair and pushed it towards her. Ziva thanked him and sat down. Tony looked up at Ziva. "Tony," Taz said.

"What?" Tony snapped.

"Jeez! What the hell's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothing," Tony said. Taz rolled her eyes and turned around. "It's somebody's time of the month," she said. Tony slammed his hand on the desk. He stood up. "Just shut up, Taz," He said. She glared at him. "I don't know who pissed in your cereal this morning, but it is too late to be doing this," She said. Tony looked at his watch. It was almost midnight. Emma was asleep on the floor. KJ was asleep beside her. "I've had a rough night," Tony said. Taz fake-laughed. "You've had a rough night? I got my arm cut open by metal cleats. I have to go get my braces attached back to my teeth. I'm probably going to have to get a shot because of the cleats. I got shot at, I saw a car get blown up, I saw a man who doesn't look like he knows how to cry have an emotional breakdown and I just found out before you came back that we have to make up that game tomorrow. I have detention tomorrow. It's midnight and I have to go to school in the morning," Taz said.

"Go home. Get some sleep," Gibbs said, walking in. Lewis picked KJ up and grabbed her bag. Taz rolled her eyes and walked out of the bullpen. "When can we go?" Tony asked.

"After we figure out who the real target was," Gibbs said. They each walked to interrogate their people.

* * *

They all finished about the same time. Tony interrogated the woman, Ziva questioned the man who hit McGee, Gibbs and McGee talked to the two men that were in the barn. They met back in the bullpen. "Did we get anything useful?" Gibbs asked.

"Turns out, our crazy father had an affair with Wilson. That's why he and his wife divorced. They're working together to kill the mother. First they had to take care of the people who would interfere with their plan," Tony said.

"Martin claimed that they killed three Marines who tried to stop them. He didn't say where the bodies are," McGee said.

"The father of the little girl has no heart, Gibbs. He was going to kill her, then he was going to kill his ex-wife. We were never the targets. We were flaws in their plan that had to be eliminated," Ziva said. Gibbs sighed and sat down at his desk. "Go home. Come in early tomorrow. We've got three bodies to find," Gibbs said.

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh. What happened in there? Perhaps we'll never know. Taz and Tony have such a loving relationship, don't you think? :) Gotta love Taz. Please tell me what you think! I love to hear from you! Thank you for reading!**

**P.S. I still need votes on names. I've already received a lot, but I want to hear from everyone who wants to choose.**


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N: Would I really kill off McGee or Ziva? Well, I might, but that would make you angry, so probably not. Okay, well, I'm in a rush. So, thanks for your reviews, and on with the show!**

* * *

Ziva's alarm was going off. Tony woke up in time to see her yank the cord out of the wall and throw the clock across the room. "Anger issues?" Tony asked.

"Just lack of sleep," she said. She tried to get up, but Tony stopped her. "I'll cover for you. Come in at normal time," he said. She glared at him. "You need rest, Ziva." He pulled the blanket over her and kissed her. She rolled over and went back to sleep. Tony got up and took a shower. He quietly walked out of the house. Ace whined as he closed the door. Tony started the car and drove to work.

"Where's Ziva?" Gibbs asked.

"At home, asleep. She needs rest," Tony said. McGee came stumbling in. "Good morning, McStumble," Tony said. McGee sat down at his desk. "Hi, Tony. How are you?" He asked.

"Perfectly fine, and you?" Tony asked.

"I was fine until I saw you," he said. Tony raised his eyebrows at him. "Cut it out! Both of you," Gibbs said. McGee started his computers. "Did we get names on our dead Marines?" McGee asked.

"No, McGee, we didn't," Gibbs said. McGee sighed. "I'll find out," He said. Tony started going through bank and phone records. He walked over to Ziva's desk and started her computers. He found something about a missing weapon. He started comparing it to the slugs they had recovered from the dug-out wall. He went back over to his computer. "DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"I told Ziva I would cover for her," he said. McGee's computer beeped. "Okay, I searched through missing people in the area and found three Marines." He pulled their names up on the screen. McGee started searching one, Tony searched the other one and Gibbs started searching the last one. Ziva's computer found a match. "Boss, I found the weapon used to shoot at Taz," Tony said. He sent a notice out about the three Marines. Tony's phone started ringing. He walked over to answer it. "Agent DiNozzo," he answered. He wrote something down. "And I just got the location of our first body," Tony said. He gave the piece of paper to Gibbs. "Grab your gear! Let's go," He said. Tony smiled and grabbed his gear.

* * *

Ziva woke up at seven. Tony had gone into work at five-thirty. She answered her phone. "Hello?"

"Good morning beautiful," Tony said. She smiled. "Okay, since you're coming in after us, can you pick the coffee up?" Tony asked.

"Yes. Let me guess, you found the first body?"

"Yeah. I'll text you the address. I love you," Tony said.

"I love you, too," Ziva hung up and went to take a shower. She closed her eyes and let the warm water wash her troubles away. She had to hide what went down the night before. It was nothing serious, but it seemed to be because of her being pregnant. Tony saw the pain in her face, but he didn't ask her about it. He just let her get in the car. She stepped out of the shower and dried off. She pulled her hair back and looked in the mirror. She had a semi-black eye, her lip was cut and she looked at the place where the woman had used a knife to carve something into her shoulder. She tried hard not to break the mirror when she realized what the woman had carved. She turned away and pulled her jeans on. She groaned when she couldn't button them. She threw them across the room and found a pair that would button. They were tight, but they were the only pair that buttoned. She put a tank top on, grabbed her shirt and jacket, and went to Emma's room. She was already up and dressed. Ziva braided her hair on the side and out it in a ponytail. Emma ran downstairs and put Ace in the backyard. "Ziva, what's wrong?" Emma asked.

"Nothing. I am just tired," Ziva said. Emma didn't believe her. "There's something else wrong," Emma said. Ziva sighed and slammed her hand down on the counter. "It is nothing, Emma!" She snapped. Emma lowered her head and tapped her foot on the floor. "I did not mean to snap at you Emma," Ziva said.

"Then why did you?" Emma asked. She looked at Ziva with her gold eyes. "I do not know," Ziva answered. Emma opened the door and Ace walked back in. Emma put Ace's food bowl down. She ate her breakfast happily. Emma tied her boots and grabbed her backpack. Ziva pulled her shirt over her head and put her jacket on. They walked out the door. "Do you want breakfast?" Ziva asked.

"Macy always has extra food. I'll just get something from her." Emma put Mary in her backpack and buckled up. She didn't talk the whole way to school.

* * *

Ziva got out of the car with the coffee. She pulled out her badge and ducked under the tape. She walked behind Gibbs. "Coffee," she said. The team all grabbed a cup. Ziva and McGee took a sip and had a disgusted look. They switched drinks. Tony raised his eyebrows at them. "I don't know what she had to drink in there, but it wasn't coffee. You've done that with Gibbs before," McGee said.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be doing field work," Tony said. Ziva looked up at him. "I can if I just walk around and take pictures. Or get witness statements," Ziva said.

"Speaking of which," Gibbs said. Ziva rolled her eyes and pulled out her pen and notepad. "Getting witness statements," she said. Tony frowned. Something didn't seem right with Ziva. "McGee, what's wrong with her?" He asked. McGee didn't answer. He just looked at Tony. "McGee, you know what's wrong with her?"

"Don't push the topic, Tony. Just don't. It'll only upset her more," McGee said.

"She'll tell you, but not me?" Tony asked.

"She didn't have to tell me. I was there with her, Tony," McGee said. Tony's frown faded into a look of concern. "It's about last night? What happened?" He asked. McGee shook his head. "Just don't push the subject. She'll tell you when she's ready," McGee said. Tony looked back at Ziva. She was writing something down on her notepad. Whatever had happened, it had upset her. Ziva walked back over to Gibbs. "Body was found in the trunk of a stolen car. It was moved from the trunk," Ziva said. Ducky was already ranting about the fact that the body had been disturbed. Gibbs put his hand on the side of Ziva's face. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I am fine, Gibbs," she said. Gibbs looked into her eyes. He saw pain and fear in them. "Ziva, you're not okay. What happened?" He asked. Ziva pulled away from his hand. "Nothing, drop it," she said. Gibbs let her walk away. She walked to the edge of the tape and looked at the water. She crossed her arms and stared off into space. McGee stood up and walked over to her. He put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped and turned to look at him. Tony watched as McGee said something. Ziva replied. Something else happened and Ziva pounded her fists into McGee's chest. He just stood there and took the hits. He winced after every one. Ziva stopped and turned away from McGee. He recovered and wrapped his arms around her. Tony frowned. At least McGee made it obvious that he was giving her a friendly hug. Ziva turned to face him. He started messing with something on his shirt, but Tony couldn't see. Eventually, McGee wrapped his arm around her. She put her hands on his chest and cried. Tony turned around and saw that Gibbs had been watching also. "There's more to last night than what we were told," Tony said.

"Yep," Gibbs said.

"And we really need to figure out what went down," Tony said. Gibbs nodded. They finished up at the crime scene.

* * *

**A/N: What went down last night? Will it bring McGee and Ziva closer, or was that just a moment of weakness between the two and they're drifting apart? Guess you'll find out tomorrow! Please tell me what you think! I love to hear from you! Thank you for reading!**


	64. Chapter 64

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I just woke up to my sister's screams. Nightmares... While I'm waiting on her to fall back asleep, I decided to go ahead and write this chapter. Might as well. I don't have anything better to do, and I don't think I'm going to have time later. If this isn't one of my best chapters, please forgive me. It's one in the morning. **

** We'll hear the Ziva, McGee conversation in this chapter. Really, sweet moment, as well. We might have some bad news, also. But we open up a new story line! That's always fun! Thank you for all your reviews! I appreciate them! **

**That's basically all I have to say... I think. So... here ya' go! Please enjoy!**

* * *

McGee stood up and walked over to Ziva. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Ziva, it's me," he said. She turned to face him. "Ziva," He began.

"No, McGee. Please do not say anything about last night," Ziva said.

"This has to be said, Ziva," McGee said. "What they said last night, they were just trying to get under our skin."

"They succeeded," Ziva said. McGee looked at her with calm eyes. "It bothered me, too."

"McGee, they brought up every member of my family."

"I know, I was there," McGee said. She shook her head and looked at the ground. "What did they do to you, McGee? I heard you scream a few times."

"I heard you scream too," McGee answered. She stepped closer to him. "You want to know what that bitch did to me? She slapped me, punched me and used her knife to do this," Ziva pulled her sleeve down. McGee just stared at her. She pounded her fists into his chest. "She hurt me physically and emotionally. She reminded me that if I did anything stupid, she would give an order to kill you. I was already upset about the fact that they brought back every memory of my family that they could." She hit his chest again. "She had information about Emma, Tony and Taz. Information that could have been used to kill them. We were not just flaws in their plan, McGee. They wanted to torture us. She was putting a knife to my stomach when Gibbs walked in. He untied me, I punched her. Are you happy now?" She shoved him backwards and turned away. He recovered from the pain, then wrapped his arms protectively around her. "Ziva, I wasn't exactly having a good time."

"I figured," Ziva said. She turned to face McGee. "He punched me, several times. Then, he burnt my arm." McGee pulled up his sleeve and removed the bandage that was covering a horrible burn. "He hit me with his gun, tipped my chair over and kicked me in the chest. All that happened after he warned me that they would kill you." Ziva looked into his green eyes. She saw a familiar look in them. It was the look she had seen when Sarah was framed for murder. She also had an image of Ari looking at her after Talia had died. "Why are you looking at me like that?" McGee asked.

"Like what?"

"Like you're about to kill me," McGee said. She frowned. "I did not mean to look at you like that. I just saw something in your eyes that looked familiar." McGee gave her a questioning look. "You looked at Sarah that way once. And Ari looked at me like that once," Ziva said. McGee wrapped his arms around her. "You don't realize what look that was?" He asked.

"Yes. It was a big brother look. Thank you, McGee," Ziva said, getting teary-eyed.

"I won't let anyone else hurt you. I would go through the pain that I did last night a hundred times if it meant you were free from heartbreak and pain. Because that's what best friends, and big brothers, do." At that moment, Ziva let all of her emotions out. The events of last night, the painful events of her whole life being brought back up and her hormones. She cried as McGee held her close. "Why can I not be through with pain?" She sobbed.

"I don't know, Ziva," McGee said. He kissed the top of her head. "Have I not been through enough already?" She asked. McGee felt his heart shatter. "Yes, Ziva. You shouldn't have had to go through any of it." Ziva put her hands on his chest and gripped his jacket with one hand. She did that to stop from putting too much pressure on his, already bruised, chest. McGee glanced over at Tony and Gibbs they were watching. They all exchanged looks. Gibbs nodded to tell McGee to take a few more minutes.

* * *

"McGee, my office, please," Gibbs said. McGee stood up and walked to the elevator. He flipped the switch. "What was that this morning?" Gibbs asked.

"I was just doing what a big brother, and best friend should do. She didn't want to talk about last night, but she needed to get whatever was bugging her off her chest. Boss, they talked about Talia, Ari, Eli and Ziva's mother. You saw what was about to happen to her when you walked in. Before that, the woman punched her, slapped her and cut her shoulder. That was all she told me, but I think they said a lot more."

"What did they do to you, McGee?" Gibbs asked. McGee looked down at his shoes. "McGee," Gibbs said. He looked up at Gibbs. He unbuttoned the top few buttons on his shirt, rolled his sleeve up and his black eye was already noticeable. Gibbs looked at the bruises on his chest and the burn on his arm. "If that was all they did to me, what could they have done to the little girl? I'm really worried about that, boss," McGee said. Gibbs started the elevator again. They stepped out. Taz and Emma came up the stairs. McGee was buttoning his shirt again. Taz stopped in her tracks. "Please tell me you're buttoning your shirt and walking out of the elevator with Gibbs because he caught you and Abby."

"No, he wanted to know what happened last night. My chest is bruised. Get your mind out of the damn gutter," McGee said. He sat back at his desk. "What the hell are you two doing here?" Tony asked.

"It's nice to see you, too, Tony," Emma said. She gave him a sarcastic smile. "Emma only had a half-day at school today. I have to go get my damn brackets fixed on my braces," Taz said. Ziva's sleeve slipped down her arm. Emma looked at her shoulder. "Ziva, what's that?" She asked.

"That's her shoulder, Emma," Tony said. He looked at Emma's tense figure. Taz snapped her eyes over to look at him. "No shit, that's not what she's looking at," Taz said. Ziva looked back down at her own shoulder. "It happened last night. I figured it was a racial-" Emma stopped her.

"No, that's not because your Jewish. I recognize the number style. McGee, please show me your left forearm," Emma said. She walked over to McGee's desk. He uncovered the burn. Emma looked closely at it. Her eyes became wide and filled with tears. Ducky walked into the bullpen. "Jethro, I discovered something interesting on the left forearm of our victim. What appears to be numbers, branded into his skin. It reminds me of-" Emma stopped him, too. She grabbed McGee's forearm. He inhaled sharply. "Did the numbers look like this?" She asked. Ducky examined McGee's arm. "Yes, they did." Emma dropped McGee's arm. "I need to get in touch with the girl's nurse or doctor," Emma said. Tony dialed the number. They got in touch with a nurse. "I need you to check behind her ear, up in her hair a little ways," Emma said.

"I see what looks like four numbers tattooed on her head," the nurse said. Emma dropped the phone. She backed out of the bullpen. Tony stood up, but Taz stopped him from walking over to Emma. He gave her a confused glance. "They're back," Emma said, barely above a whisper. "They're going to come back for me." She turned and ran. Ziva got up and followed. She heard someone else, but didn't look back to see who it was. Emma had no clue where she was going. She stopped when she was out of breath. She went to a corner of the room she was in. She looked up to see the whole team in front of her. "You all followed me?" She asked.

"Yeah, because what ever just happened is important," Gibbs said. Emma's expression became distant again. Taz sat down by her. "Emma, we're your family. You've got to tell us," she said.

"Who's back?" McGee asked.

"The group who made daddy and Teddy go away and hurt me," Emma said.

"What do you mean?" Ziva asked.

"Numbers. We all got numbers. They burnt them on the guys, carved them on the girls and tattooed them on the kids. 4782 is my number. Look," She lifted her hair and bent her ear down. They saw a dark spot on her head. "That's what it says," Taz said.

"Every single one of the Marines you're gonna find, they're gonna have a number," Emma said. She started breathing heavily. "The girl, if she doesn't wake up by tomorrow, she's dead. That's how they worked. If you didn't wake up from the chemical, you weren't going to wake up ever again. You've got to figure out what they used on her. You have to take down their leader if you want this to stop. McGee and Ziva only have so long before they slip into a coma. You weren't just knocked out. They gave you something. It's a race against the clock now," Emma said. She looked up at the stunned faces. "It's a major race against the clock, and the clock is winning," Emma said.

* * *

**A/N: I know. You hate me now. But, surely you've learned by now that I love cliffhangers! I know this probably isn't one of my best chapters, but, once again, in my defense, I'm tired. **

**Please tell me what you think(and I know you don't like the cliffhanger)! I love you read your reviews! Sorry about the time this is getting up, but I won't have time later today. I'm insanely busy. Thank you for reading!**


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N: So, chapter 65... pretty damn good if I do say do myself. I'm glad I got the last chapter up super early. I never had time yesterday. So, thank you for your reviews and such! And here's the next chapter!**

* * *

The team went back up to the bullpen. Taz left to go to the dentist. McGee went down to Abby's lab. Gibbs answered his phone, leaving Tony, Ziva and Emma alone. "How long do you think, Emma?" Ziva asked.

"You don't have long. No one ever stayed awake more than twenty-four hours. It only took me two hours. I woke up, though," Emma explained. Gibbs came back in. "They're bringing our people back in. We've got to get more information out of them."

"Did any of the chemicals give contagious diseases?" Tony asked. Emma shook her head. Tony stood up, walked over to Ziva's desk and knelt down in front of her. "Look, I don't know why you're mad at me, or if you're even mad at me. Just so we're clear, you're going to be okay," Tony said.

"We do not know that, Tony. I am in danger and the twins are in danger," Ziva said, tears coming to her eyes. Tony grabbed her hands. "Ziva, you're going to be alright. I promise," Tony said. He kissed her. Emma knew better than to say that Ziva was going to be okay. There were some serious concerns. There was no use taking them to a hospital yet. The doctors wouldn't find anything. "Ziver, what did the doctor say last night about the twins?" Gibbs asked.

"He did not see anything concerning, but that might all change now," Ziva said. She stood up. McGee came back in. "Has she found anything?" Gibbs asked.

"No, not unless a new insane amount of worries counts," McGee said.

"You didn't tell her about this did you?" Gibbs asked. McGee looked up from his computer. "Hell no, boss. She's already worried about me from last night. She doesn't need to know this... yet," McGee said.

"Our game plan for this, what is it?" Tony asked.

"We get the information that we need out of these people. We need to get if it was a new or old chemical. What they used one the girl, McGee and Ziva. We need to get the name and location of the leader. We need to get how long they have," Gibbs explained. McGee coughed a few times. Emma looked over at him. Ziva coughed. "That just means we have less time than I thought. And that means you've got something serious. Coughing is the first sign that they gave you a chemical that is strong enough to kill you," Emma said. McGee and Ziva exchanged looks. "Then we'd better get started," Gibbs said.

* * *

The team stood in the observation room as Ziva questioned the first person. "We know you injected me and my friend with a chemical that is being tested for torture methods. Was it a new one or old one?" Ziva asked.

"I'm not telling you people shit. You're federal agents. Figure it out," the man said. Ziva took a deep breath to control her anger. "Listen, I am not in a good mood, and it has something to do with the fact that I am possibly dying. Please, if you would be so kind, do not make me break you in half," Ziva said.

"What the hell, it was an old one. I'm already going to jail, so what do you want to know?" The man asked. Ziva was surprised he gave in that easily. "What did you use on the girl?" Ziva asked.

"Now that, I don't know. I was told these were old injections."

"So, you're really only useful about this much," Ziva gave a tiny amount with her fingers. The man nodded. She stood up and walked into Observation. "Tony, you're up," Gibbs said when the next person came in. This was the woman. "What did you inject into the girl?" He asked.

"Poison."

"Got that, what type?" Tony asked, trying to stay calm. She smirked at him. "Let's just say she might have some growing problems if she lives," she said.

"So, it affected her bones?" Tony questioned. She nodded. "And the man you captured?" Tony asked.

"Now, that, I'm not telling you. Because the only person who knows is our boss," she said. Tony stood up. "Boss, we've got to just bring the Private in here. He was the head of their group," Tony said. Gibbs nodded. "McGee," Gibbs said. He grabbed the file and walked out the door. "I need to know what you shot us with," McGee said.

"Why? You're not going to live anyway."

"Okay, what's your name?" McGee asked. The man looked at him with a confused expression. "Private Luke Ryan," he said. McGee smirked. "Okay, Private Ryan. Have you ever seen the movie, Saving Private Ryan?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, and I've heard every possible joke. So, why did you want to know that?"

"Because if you don't tell us what you know, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO NEED TO COME SAVE PRIVATE RYAN!" McGee yelled. He pushed the file onto the floor and stood up. He walked over to Ryan's chair. He moved the chair so that Ryan had to look into his eyes. "What did you shoot us with?" McGee asked again.

"I don't know! The only person who knows what you were given is our boss!"

"Who's your boss?" McGee asked, staying calm. He was breathing heavily. "Eddie Fraizer," Private Ryan said. McGee stood up and picked up the file. "Thank you," McGee said. He resisted the urge to punch the man in the face. He walked out of the room, and the team walked out of the other. McGee tossed Gibbs the file. He turned and walked down the hallway. Ziva went after him. "McGee," she said.

"What, Ziva?" He asked. He didn't turn around. Ziva sped up so that she was standing beside him. "It is going to be okay," Ziva said. McGee stopped and turned to face her. "No, Ziva. It's not. We've got a few hours left before we possibly slip into a coma and die. I don't want to die," McGee said.

"And you think I do?" Ziva asked. She turned to look down the hallway. "McGee, I want you to do something for me," Ziva said. "Close your eyes and give me your hands," Ziva said. He closed his eyes. She took his hands and placed them on her stomach. She pressed his hands gently against her stomach. He felt a flutter on the palm of his hand. His eyes snapped open. "You are the first person to feel them. I know it was light and brief, but even Tony has not gotten the chance to do that. This is three lives in danger, McGee."

"You're letting me feel the twins before their father?" McGee asked as he felt another light flutter. Ziva nodded. She took his hands off and looked into his eyes. "I'm scared, Ziva," McGee said.

"I am, too. But we will get through this... together," Ziva said.

"Promise?" McGee asked. Ziva smiled at him. "We will even come up with a handshake," Ziva said.

"Sounds good," McGee said. They came up with a handshake. "I remember doing those all the time with my friends when I was a kid," McGee said. Ziva wrapped her arms around him. "Now, we shook on it," she said.

"So, it's a promise now," McGee said.

"Yes. That "Saving Private Ryan" thing was kind of lame," Ziva said. McGee laughed. "Yeah, I know. It thought it was kind of funny," McGee said.

"No, it was very Tony-ish of you," Ziva said. McGee smiled. They walked back to the bullpen.

* * *

**A/N: So, secret handshakes are always fun. Me and my sister have one. She makes me use it all the time. McGee got to feel them before Tony. That just shows how much Ziva cares about McGee. Please tell me what you think! I would also love it if you would like to offer any suggestions about what you want to see in future chapters! Thank you for reading!**


	66. Chapter 66

A/N**: Soo sorry about the time that I'm getting this up. I just got home. Thano god this was already written. So, thanks for the reviews and stuff! Short a/n because of the time Please enjoy!**

* * *

"We're bringing Fraizer in now," Gibbs said. He stepped out of the elevator with a large man. He told security to take him to interrogation. McGee and Ziva were sitting at their desks. "McGee, you and Ziver go to the hospital. Tell them what happened and to expect something bad."

"Gibbs, I am fine," Ziva argued.

"That's an order, Ziva!" Gibbs barked. Ziva glared at him. "Why are you yelling at me?" She asked.

"Because sometimes it takes yelling to get things through your hard head, Ziva," Gibbs said. Tony stood up. "Boss, we're all worried, but-" Gibbs stopped him.

"But nothing. I told you to go. So, go," Gibbs said. Ziva's eyes teared up. "You are going to feel awful if the last thing you say to me was that," she said. Gibbs put his hand out to stop her. She moved away from his hand. "No, Gibbs. I have to follow orders," she snapped. Gibbs let her walk by. He sat down at his desk. "Boss, has Ziva talked to you about anything that happened last night?" Tony asked.

"No," Gibbs answered. Tony clicked his pen over and over again. Lewis came in with Taz. She sat down in Ziva's chair. "Aren't you people worried about your coworkers?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Idiot here, decided to turn down the pain killers they offered her," Lewis said. Tony just nodded. He kept clicking the pen. "Tony, chill with the damn pen," Taz said. He snapped out of his trance. "Sorry. I'm just worried about Ziva and the twins," Tony said.

"McGee's in danger, too," Emma said. He turned to look at her. "I know, but he's got a better survival chance," Tony said.

"No, he doesn't," Emma said. "They're both equally in danger." She raised her eyebrows at him and turned back around. Gibbs stood up. "We've got to get this information out of Fraizer."

* * *

Gibbs and Abby ran through the doors of the hospital. Ziva had been cleared. She was already immune to whatever had been injected. Tony, Emma and Taz followed close behind. They hadn't been given any information other than the fact that Ziva was okay. Tony went up to the front desk and asked about Ziva. "I need to know about the condition of her babies," Tony said.

"There were a few concerns with the injection that was given to her. We're still waiting on a few tests to return," the nurse said. Tony thanked her and caught up to Taz and Emma. They walked down the hallway to see Ziva staring through a window. She turned to face them. Her mascara was running down her face. Tony walked up next to her. They saw McGee in a room with several doctors around him. "His heart is failing, Tony," Ziva said. Abby was talking to a doctor. She handed him a flask of blue liquid. "You found what they used?" Ziva asked.

" Yeah, they used something on McGee that is designed to stun hearts. Or something like that. I wasn't really paying attention. What ever they used on you, you were already immune to it. Which is strange because Emma said that was almost impossible. But you would be the one to defy the odds," Tony said. He turned to look at Taz. She was holding Emma so that she couldn't see what was going on with McGee. They ripped McGee's shirt off. A nurse came in with the defibrillator. Ziva pressed her face into Tony's chest so she didn't have to see. Tony wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Abby watched with a horrified expression on her face. One doctor came out of the room. "Please, you have to let me in there!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let anyone in there yet," the doctor said. The nurse began to try and get McGee's heart started again. Tony closed his eyes. He couldn't deal with losing McGee. "Come on, Probie. Don't do this to us," he whispered. He felt Ziva laugh a little. "What's funny in this situation?" He asked.

"Even when he is dying, you call him Probie," She said, although it was muffled by his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair. "It's a sign of affection. Now if he would just not die," Tony said in a shaky voice. Ziva felt his heartbeat speed up. She didn't want to see McGee die. "He's flat-lining," the nurse said.

"Try this," a doctor said. He handed them a flask of light blue liquid. "It's the antidote." A doctor grabbed it and put it in a syringe. He injected it into McGee's arm. There was silence, other than the continuous tone of the heart monitor. Tony held his breath. Nothing happened. He looked at Gibbs with wide eyes. Abby had her hands over her mouth. Ziva looked up at Tony's worried face. Taz and Emma stood completely still. The doctor lowered his head. He motioned to the nurse. Tony put his forehead against Ziva's. She looked into his eyes. They were dark green. "No, please do not tell me he is gone," Ziva said.

"I wish I could, Ziva. I really do," Tony said. Abby walked into the room. "Ma'am, I'm sorry. We did all that we could," the doctor said.

"Then you couldn't do enough," Abby said. The nurse took McGee off of all the machines. Abby took his hand. She ran her finger over the back of his hand. She stopped on one of his veins. "His heart is beating!" Abby exclaimed. The nurse put her fingers to his neck. She reattached the heart monitor. There were lines going up and down. The doctors helped put his IVs back in. "He's not breathing very well," the nurse said. They put a mask on him. He coughed once, then his chest started rising and falling. "I'll be damned, it's a miracle," the doctor said.

"All you had to do was wait ten more seconds and you would have seen that the antidote worked," Abby said. She stood up to let them finish their work. Tony kissed Ziva. She felt the twins move. Her eyes snapped open. She pulled back so fast that Tony immediately had a worried look on his face. "Sorry, the twins moved!" Ziva said. She grabbed Tony's hands and put them on her stomach. "I don't feel them," Tony said. Ziva look puzzled. "That is strange. McGee could feel them," she said.

"McGee got to feel them before me?" Tony asked. Ziva saw the confusion and a hint of hurt in his eyes. "Tony, it is not that big of a deal," Ziva said.

"But I'm their father. Don't you think that I should have been the one to feel them first?"

"Tony, if you did not just notice, they stopped moving when you tried to feel them. And I also think that Gibbs deserves just as equal chance because he does not get angry over things like this," Ziva said.

"He yelled at you this morning when you could've been dying."

"And you are yelling at me now because even your own children do not like you at this moment." Ziva stormed off. Tony turned and went the other way. Gibbs sat down on the bench by Taz and Emma. "Great, I've got an agent dying, a hormonal agent who is emotionally scared and a pissed off father."

"Damn, you've got a messed up team," Taz said. She leaned back against the wall. "I don't see how you deal with this much stress on a regular basis," Taz said.

"Taz, he meant that he would love it if you helped him with his problem," Emma said. Taz sat up straight again. "Oh, yeah. Do you want me to handle the bitchy one?" Taz asked.

"Nope," Gibbs said.

"Okay, I'll go find Ziva," Taz said. She stood up and walked in the direction Ziva had gone. Gibbs smiled and walked to find Tony.

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry about the time. I'll have another one up later. It might be late, but not this late. Please tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	67. Chapter 67

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's so late. I had a long day. But, I promised to get this up. And I did. Thank you for your reviews! I appreciate them! So, here's chapter 67! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Taz looked around. No one was watching, so she opened the doors to the abandoned section of the hospital. It was supposed to be under construction. Nobody ever went in there. "Emma, how do you know Ziva's in here?" Taz asked over the phone.

"No one ever comes in here because the construction stopped and it's really scary. So, it makes perfect sense that Ziva would be in here," Emma said. Taz smiled. "I admire your mind sometimes," she said.

"Thanks," Emma said. Taz hung up the phone and put it in her back pocket. She looked over her shoulder again. She saw a nurse walking by. She squatted down. When the coast was clear, she stood up and ran down the hallway. She didn't find Ziva after a few minutes of looking. "This is gonna take too long. Damn. Why didn't I bring my skateboard in?" She asked herself. Taz felt her phone vibrate. She looked down to see a text from her best friend, also the pitcher on the team. '_Where the hell are you? Warm-ups are in ten minutes!' _Taz sighed and texted back. '_Tell coach I'm running late. And that I got out of detention because the teacher wasn't here today.' _She started running down the hallway again. She stopped when she saw an open door. She pushed it open. "Hey, Ziva," Taz said.

"Go away," Ziva said. Taz tossed her backpack in the chair that was across the room. She sat by Ziva on the bed. "I just ran through an abandoned hospital. There's no way I'm just leaving," Taz said with a laugh. She pushed a strand of hair from her face. "I'm here for you, Ziva," Taz said. Ziva let a tear fall. "The last two days have been..." she stopped.

"Hard. I understand, Ziva," Taz said.

"How can you possibly understand?!" Ziva yelled. She looked up at Taz. "You are sixteen! You have no clue what I have been through! You did not have to see the look in McGee's eyes! You did not have to see the life leave them! His beautiful green eyes! You do not have a damn idea what I had to deal with over the years! Stop acting like you do!" Ziva screamed. She stood up and walked out of the room. Taz followed. "Hey! You can't just stay here forever, Ziva!" She yelled.

"What the hell am I supposed to do? Tony is pissed off at me, I am pissed off at him and he is mad because his children already do not like him! Tell me, what am I supposed to do?" Ziva asked.

"First of all," Taz said, running to catch up with her, "you're going to lose that pissed off pregnant lady attitude. Then, you're going to tell me what's really bothering you. To end it all, I'm going to tell you all the things that were wrong with your speech a few minutes ago." Ziva stopped and turned to face her. She sighed. "I feel bad about letting McGee feel the twins before Tony," Ziva said.

"Why?" Taz asked.

"Because he did have a point about being the father and it is his right to feel them first," Ziva said. Taz laughed. "So what? McGee needed something to cheer him up," she said.

"But now Tony is upset with me."

"Screw how he feels! Just because the man is as hormonal as you doesn't mean that he can be mad at something like this! He's just scared," Taz said. Ziva smiled. "So, is that all that's bothering you?" Taz asked.

"What if the tests come back and something is wrong with the twins?" Ziva asked.

"Are they moving?" Taz asked.

"Yes," Ziva said. Taz thought for a minute. "Does anything feel weird?" Taz asked.

"No," Ziva answered.

"Then I'm sure nothing is wrong them," Taz said. Ziva sniffed and wiped her tears away. "That is two of the things you said. What is the third?" Ziva asked.

"Flaws in your speech. I'm seventeen now. I watched the life go out of my mother's eyes. I saw the life go out of my friend's eyes. She saved my life and took a bullet for me. We were in third grade. A man came to the playground with a gun. We stood up for ourselves. And she got shot. I have plenty of things to relate to," Taz said. Ziva looked at her. "Don't pity me. Come on, I've got a softball game to go to," Taz said. They walked out of the building.

* * *

"DiNozzo! What the hell was that?" Gibbs asked. Tony was outside in the garden. He didn't turn around to look at Gibbs. "Tony!" Gibbs yelled. He stopped and looked at him. "What?" He asked, running his hands over his face.

"What the hell was that back there?" Gibbs asked.

"Ziva being her usual bitchy self during a bad situation."

"Are you really mad at her because she let her best friend feel the twins before you?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah! I am! What makes him so special that he got to feel my children?" Tony asked.

"The fact that those two needed each other at that moment. We'll never know what really went down between the two of them when we weren't looking. They're like brother and sister. They pick on each other, but they'll always be there for each other. Something you need to learn," Gibbs said.

"I am there for her! Who was there when she lost her father? Me! Who went to see her when she was leaving for Israel? Me! Who was there when she got shot? M-" Gibbs stopped him.

"McGee! He was there for her before you were. He took a beating when they went undercover! He-" Tony cut him off.

"I was hurt plenty of times for her! I took the hits when we went undercover! I went to Somalia and-"

"McGee went too! He-"

"He slept on the floor the whole time! I've been there for Ziva plenty of times!" Tony yelled.

"But you've also not been there for her. She came to me when you two fought," Gibbs said.

"I figured, she broke my heart that night. She gave me her ring," Tony said.

"You broke hers, too. She walked to my house... in the snow... while she was crying. She cried so much that she eventually couldn't cry. DiNozzo, you probably just hurt her again. Because you're a selfish son of a bitch," Gibbs said. Tony glared at Gibbs. He stormed past him and back into the hospital. He stopped by McGee's room. "That could be her in there!" He hissed. Gibbs nodded. "I know," he said.

"I try so hard to be the perfect person for Ziva. It's way too hard at some moments," Tony said.

"It's always hard to deal with you. You're upset because you can't feel your children and McGee can?" Gibbs asked.

"No. I'm upset because Ziva always gets mad at me," Tony said. Gibbs slapped him on the back of the head, hard. "No, you're upset because you're scared that your children won't like you," Gibbs said.

"I-" Gibbs gave Tony a look that told him to shut up. He pushed pass Tony and walked into McGee's room. He walked into McGee's room, too. Abby was asleep by McGee. Gibbs smiled when he saw her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. He hadn't woken up yet since he had been revived. Tony sat down on the other side of the room. Emma was asleep on a cot. Ziva came in. She sat on the opposite side of the room. "Where's Taz?" Gibbs asked.

"Softball game," Ziva said. She looked at McGee and Abby. There was silence. Gibbs left to get coffee. Finally, Tony stood up. "Ziva, I feel awful about what I said earlier," he said. Ziva stood up and walked up to him. "You do?" She asked.

"Yes," Tony said. Ziva glared at him. Tony reached for her hands. She pulled them back. "Really? Because you really seemed serious about it," She snapped.

"But I'm just going to admit that I'm scared that our children won't like me. They'll hate me for their entire lives. I'm afraid of being a father," Tony said. Ziva kept glaring at him. "Why do you take your anger out on me?" She asked.

"I don't," Tony said. Ziva brought her knees up between his legs. He cried out in pain and bent over. Ziva punched his face and knocked his legs out from under him. He fell on his back. She straddled his stomach on her knees. She pinned his hands above his head. Her face was only a few inches from his. "You take your anger out on me. You yell at me when I do something that you do not think I should. I am tired of it! You cannot keep doing that, Tony," she whispered. Her voice was getting shaky. Tony looked up at her. He was breathing heavily. "I don't mean to, Ziva," he said.

"Then why do you?" She asked, letting her tears fall. Tony didn't answer. "You do not know how much I want to kill you at moments," Ziva said.

"And you don't know how much I wish you would kill me sometimes," Tony said. He felt her grip on his hands loosen. He pulled his hands free. He pushed her hair from her face. "Because then, I wouldn't break your heart and you wouldn't hurt," Tony said. She gasped. He pushed her off of him. They stood up. "I hate when you're in pain and it took a really hard head slap to knock some sense into me," Tony said, rubbing the back of his head. "It hurts me when you're in pain, and it kills me when I cause it," Tony said, cupping her face with both hands. He ran his thumb over her cheek. "But then when I think that, I know that if I go, that will be another heartache that I cause you. I would be okay if you ever hurt me, because half of the time, I deserve it."

"I would never hurt you, Tony," Ziva said. Tony laughed. "You kind of just did," he said. Ziva looked down. "I meant like Wendy did," she said. Tony smiled. "Thank you, because I would never recover from that," Tony said. Ziva looked into his eyes. He kissed her. Their kiss became passionate. Ziva pulled back when she remembered where they were. "I love you, Tony," she said.

"I love you, too," Tony said. They locked their fingers and kissed again. They pulled back at a mumble. Tony thought it was Gibbs. "What?" He asked.

"I think I'm going to puke," McGee said. Tony and Ziva turned to look at him. He opened his eyes and looked down at Abby. He wrapped his arm around her. He moved a strand of hair from her face with the other. "Welcome back, McHeart Attack!" Tony said. McGee shot him a glare. He ran his hand up and down Abby's arm. She stirred and let out a sigh. Her eyes snapped open when she felt McGee's hand on her arm. She looked up at him. "McGee!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, Abbs," he said. She sat up and kissed him. He put his hand on the back of her head, keeping the other wrapped around her waist. "Hypocrite," Tony said. When they pulled back, Abby hit his arm. "Ouch! What was that for?" He asked.

"Scaring the hell out of me!" She yelled. He leaned back and took her hand in his. "Would I really die without telling you good bye?" He asked.

"McGee, you did die," Ziva said, standing behind Tony who was sitting in the chair by the bed. She put her hands on his shoulders. "I did?" He asked.

"Yeah, you weren't breathing, and you were flat-lining. Abby found your pulse, though," Tony said. Abby put her head back on McGee's shoulder. "Well, I'm not dead," McGee said. Ziva smiled and kissed McGee's cheek. "No, your not. And we are all thankful," she said. She turned back to Tony. "Oh, come on. You get this," she said. She kissed him. "I guess that's understandable," Tony said. Ziva smiled at him. "Very understandable," she said.

* * *

**A/N: Yayy! It's all good in the hood! Only Abby would make out with McGee and then hit him. Don't you think? I certainly do. Please tell me what you think! I love to get feedback from my fans. Thank you for reading!**


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N: Well, the last chapter was kinda fluffy. But, oh well. :) Sorry for the time... once again. I've been busy. Mondays... hate 'em. Thank you for all your reviews and such! I appreciate them! Please enjoy!**

* * *

"McGee!" Emma exclaimed when she woke up. She ran over and hugged him. "Hey, snaggletooth," McGee said. Emma pulled back and glared at him. "Don't look at me like that. You're front two teeth are missing," McGee said.

"What?" She asked. She felt for her teeth. All she got was blood. "My tooth fell out in my sleep!" She exclaimed. She saw it on the floor. Ziva handed her a paper towel. She put it where her tooth used to be. She picked up her tooth and put it in her pocket. "Is the tooth fairy going to give you money?" Abby asked.

"I don't believe in the tooth fairy, but I'll still put it under my pillow," Emma explained. Tony tensed up. "She hasn't lost a tooth since she's been with us. How am I supposed to do that?" Tony asked.

"I will take care of it," Ziva said. Tony thanked her. Abby sat up on the bed. "I'm going to the bathroom," she said. She stood up and stretched. "Okay, don't take too long. We're leaving once Taz comes back," Tony said.

"Why are you waiting until she comes back?" McGee asked. Emma was pulling her hair up into a ponytail. "Someone's in a rush for us to go," she said. Tony smiled. "Yeah, you know that you and Abby can't-"

"Stop, Tony. Don't even finish that sentence," Taz said walking in. Her white pants were filthy with dirt. She had her softball bag with her. "Hi, McBack From the Dead," Taz said.

"Can someone please call me by my name?" McGee asked. Taz smiled and walked over to him. "Sure, Timothy," she said. He glared at her. "I would hug you, but I'm sweaty and dirty and pissed off," she said.

"Did you lose?" Ziva asked. Taz shook her head. "No, but you know how I said this team plays dirty? The same girl slid into me, but I have a metal rod in my leg, so it won't break easily. I stepped her leg. She has a hurt leg now. I got in trouble, though," Taz explained.

"That's not terrible," Tony said. Ziva hit his arm. "What?! It's not. She could've hit the girl with a bat! But she didn't," Ton said. Emma smiled. Taz sat down in the chair and opened the top compartment of her backpack. She pulled out a small container. She put all of her earrings back in. "Does that not hurt?" Tony asked.

"No, the only one that hurts is the third one on my left ear. They put it in a weird place, so it hurts to put it in and take it out," Taz explained. She pulled out her phone. "Shit," she said.

"What?" Tony asked. Taz stared at her phone. "This bitch is calling me," she said. She didn't answer. "What bitch?" McGee asked. Taz shook her head. "It doesn't matter. So, are we ready to go?" She asked.

"Wait, is she going home with you?" McGee asked. Ziva nodded. "Yeah, Lewis caught whatever KJ has. So, they're at home coughing. I can't get a cold because I'm already falling behind in school," Taz explained. She stood up. Abby came back in. She laid down by McGee. He wrapped his arm around her. A nurse came in. "Miss David?" She asked, mispronouncing Ziva's name. She corrected her. "Sorry, the tests came back," the nurse said.

"And?" Tony asked. The nurse looked over the file. "There was no major concern, but there is still a possibility that what ever you were injected with did infect one of the babies," she said.

"One?" Ziva asked. Tony took her hand. "Yes, we're pretty sure that it will not effect them. No signs are showing that something's wrong. We'll continue to monitor you closely, and you might need to have more frequent ultrasounds," the nurse finished up.

"Can she still do the things she could before?" Tony asked. The nurse looked up from the clip board. She had a smirk on her face. "I'm guessing you're the father?" She asked.

"Yes, I am," Tony said proudly. The nurse turned and walked towards the door. "Yes, she can. Just be careful," she said. Taz brought her hand up to her face. She pulled it down her face and stopped where it was covering her mouth. "Did that really just happen?" She asked.

"Yes, Taz, it did," Abby said.

* * *

"Okay, you're going to stay in the guest bedroom down stairs," Tony said. Taz put her stuff down on the couch. "Why not the one upstairs?" She asked.

"It doesn't have a bed in it. And it doesn't have it's own bathroom," Tony said. Taz gave him a puzzled look. "If every other room has it's own bathroom, doesn't that mean the one in the hallway is a private bathroom?" She asked.

"No, because when people come over, they have to use that one," Ziva said, climbing the stairs. She smiled at Tony. He gave her the DiNozzo smile. "Oh, God. If you two are gonna... you know, please keep the screaming to minimum," Taz said. She picked her bag up and walked into the guest room. Tony followed her. "We have to keep the screaming down. Otherwise Emma could hear us," Tony said with a smile. Taz raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm going to take a shower now..." she trailed off. Tony laughed. She walked into the bathroom. Tony walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He went up to Emma's room. "Good night," he said.

"Night," she mumbled. Tony turned the light off. He walked to his room. Ziva was looking through her clothes. "I have no pants that fit," she said. She turned to see Tony leaning against the door frame. "You could always go without pants," he said. Ziva stopped what she was doing and turned fully around. "And you would absolutely enjoy that... would you not?" She purred. She walked closer to him. "I would, darling," Tony said.

"Do not call me darling," she said. Tony smirked. "Fine, I won't," he said. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Ziva backed towards the bed. "Well, are you just going to stand there?" she asked. Tony walked over to her. He took her hands. "Ziva, we don't-"

"Tony, I am only pregnant for nine months. We will have to make some adjustments, but be honest, has it not been more enjoyable this way?" She asked, standing up. She looked into Tony's eyes. She leaned in and kissed him. Her hands slipped under his shirt. She pulled it off of him. He started fumbling with the button on her pants. When her shirt came off, Tony reached around for her bra clasp. He didn't feel it. "You're telling me that you went without a bra today?" He asked.

"I am not telling you that. You just discovered that," Ziva said. She turned them around and pushed Tony towards the bed. He sat down. She sat down on his lap, facing him. Tony moaned when she found the painful bulge in his pants. "Your knee seems very eager, Tony," she said. Tony kissed her shoulder. "What can I say? It just loves what you do to me," Tony said. Ziva kissed him. She pushed him back and took his pants and boxers off. Tony's phone rang. She moved back up and straddled his stomach. Tony reached over and got his phone. "Boss," he said.

"I don't care what I'm interrupting. Case isn't over yet. Fraizer was killed in his cell. And he doesn't have a cellmate. Get Ziva off of you, put your clothes back on and get your ass over here," Gibbs said.

"How did-" Tony began. Gibbs stopped him. "Just get your ass over here, DiNozzo. Bring Ziva," Gibbs said. Tony hung up and looked at Ziva. "Gotta go," he said. She sighed and climbed off of him. "That's just great," Tony said.

"You sound a little upset, Tony," Ziva said. Tony got up. "I had you naked and on top of me. Of course I'm upset if we're interrupted," he said. Ziva smiled. "I know," she said. She kissed him and got dressed.

* * *

**A/N: Well, this should be a fun conversation between Tony and Taz when he tells her where they have to go. Really... you gotta love Emma. PLease tell me what you think! Thank you for reading! **

**P.S. If you have any suggestions about what you want to see in chapter 70, please let me know! **


	69. Chapter 69

**A/N: Chapter 69! I'm excited about this. I never thought that I would make this story last this long. Thank you so much for your reviews and such. I'm kinda in a hurry, so I need to just get to it. PLease enjoy!**

* * *

Tony walked into Emma's room. He picked her up and grabbed Mary. He grabbed her pillow and a blanket. "Tony, I still need a dollar," Emma mumbled.

"I'll get you your dollar. We've got to go finish this case," Tony said.

"Why can't you just leave me here? Taz is with me," Emma complained. Tony walked down the stairs. "Ha. You and Taz? Alone? In our house? Don't think so," Tony said. He put her on the couch. "Where's Ace?" he asked. She had been allowed to sleep outside the pen. "I don't know. Probably avoiding you. Why?" Emma asked.

"Just to make sure she's still in the house before we leave. Ace! Come here, girl!" Ace came bounding down the stairs. She was almost half-sized now. "Ace, no!" Emma said. Ace stopped right before she lunged at Tony. "How many tricks does she know now?" Ziva asked, coming down the stairs.

"She knows how to sit, shake, lie down, roll over, play dead, high-five and speak," Emma said. Tony looked at her amazed. "That's pretty good," he said. Emma nodded. "What time is it?" Emma asked.

"Almost eleven," Ziva said. Emma plopped her head on her pillow. Tony sighed and knelt down in front of Ace. "Do you want to go wake Taz up?" He asked. Ace sneezed, and shook her head when she did it. "I think that was a no, Tony," Emma said.

"Oh, come on. That was a coincidence," he said. Emma opened her eyes. "In the words of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, there's no such thing as a coincidence," she said in a low voice. Tony glared at her. "I think it's a rule, too," Emma said. Tony stood up and walked to the guest room door. He opened it. Taz was asleep. He sighed, closed the door back just in case there was yelling and walked over to the bed. "Taz, wake up," he said. He shook her lightly. She snapped open and in a lighting fast motion, she was straddling Tony on the floor, with her hands around his neck. Her wavy blond hair was slung over her shoulder, and her usual bright eyes were dark. She was in a pair of shorts and a tank top. She slammed her hands into his chest and stood up. "Dude, what the hell? You scared the shit out of me," she said. Tony sat up. "It's nice to see you too, Taz," he said.

"Explain!" She said, kicking his leg.

"We've got to go back to work. You're going to come with us," Tony said. Taz pulled her leg back to kick him again. He jumped out of the way. "Stop abusing me!" He said. Taz sat down on the bed. "It's a school night, my mouth hurts and I have a big test tomorrow that I have to cram for," Taz said. Tony looked at her. "You really shouldn't cram for tests," he said.

"Well, you know, if I hadn't been shot at and if I wouldn't have had to go to the hospital, I might actually have a chance at passing," Taz said. Tony sat down by her. "You're not the only one who's upset about this. Damn, we were about to-"

"Don't want to know, don't really care, don't have time for this," she said, standing up. She pulled a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt from her bag. She put them on over her clothes. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me that if Lewis wasn't sick-"

"No, because it's a school night," Taz said. She grabbed her things. "So, I gotta know... do you really like it on top, or do you let Lewis control what goes on?" Tony asked in a childish way. Taz glared at him. Then she gave him a sarcastic smile. "Oh, Tony, you're just dying to know aren't you?" she asked.

"Not dying, but I would like to know," he said. Taz put her things back down and walked over to him. Tony stood up. She pressed her chest against him. "Just remember what it felt like to be taken to the ground by a seventeen-year-old girl who is barely over five feet tall," she said. She pushed Tony backwards. He fell on the bed. Taz smiled as she walked out the door.

* * *

"What the hell took you so long?" Gibbs asked. Tony looked back at the car. "We had to wake up a teenager," Ziva said. Tony faced her. "We? I think that was all me, sweet cheeks," he said.

"You got your ass beat, didn't you?" Gibbs asked. Tony nodded. "She tackled me and tried to strangle me," Tony said. Gibbs handed him the camera. "Get use to it, DiNozzo. You're going to have twins to wake up in the morning," Gibbs said.

"Yeah, I know," Tony said. He walked over to the dead body that was on the floor. Gibbs walked over to the car that Tony and Ziva had come in. Emma was asleep in Taz's lap. They were in the back seat. Taz looked up and saw him. She rolled down the window. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Well, I'm working right now," Gibbs said. Taz sighed. "I mean why are you over here?" She asked.

"Fine, I'll just leave," he said. Taz rolled the window back up. Gibbs smirked and walked over to Tony. "Yep, you've officially put her in a bad mood," he said.

"It's not my fault!" Tony exclaimed. Gibbs laughed. "No, it's not, but you're the one who chose to wake her up."

"Actually, I was forced. I asked Ace if she wanted to," Tony said. Gibbs stood up. "Dogs can't talk. You know that, right?" Gibbs asked. Tony snapped a picture. "Yeah, I know."

"Then why do you talk to the dog?" Gibbs asked.

"Because when you live with Ziva, you tend to go crazy," Tony said. He felt something hit the back of his head. He looked down and saw a pen. He turned and saw Ziva coming back from talking to the guard who had found the body. "I heard that," she said. He handed her the pen. "It was meant to be heard. But when you live with Emma, it has the same effect," Tony said. Ziva gave a sarcastic smile and turned to Gibbs. Tony saw a person peak their head in the room. He made eye contact with Tony. Then, he shot off. "Hey!" Tony yelled. He put the camera down and went after him. Gibbs and Ziva turned. "What the hell was that about?" Gibbs asked.

"I do not know. Maybe-" She stopped when there was a gun shot. Gibbs pulled his gun out and ran outside. Ziva followed, but at a slower pace. They saw Tony on the ground. "Tony!" Ziva yelled. He stood up. "I'm good. I'm good," he said. He looked at the man running into the woods. "Well, on the bright side, I got his ID... and a bullet that Abby can match, surely," Tony said. He revealed a tear in his jacket and pointed to the hole in the wall next to him. "Get it out of the wall, Ziver. Tony, go see the paramedics that are already here," Gibbs said.

"I'm fine. It didn't even touch me," Tony said. He pulled his jacket off to show Gibbs. "Okay, then get back to work."

* * *

**A/N: I'm in a major rush. So, please tell me what you think and thank you for reading. Sorry about the short a/n. **


	70. Chapter 70

**A/N: Hey guys! Since this story came first, this is going to be the story I focus on. But, I promise that you won't have to wait too long for chapter updates on What If. It may just not be daily updates for that one. Thank you for your reviews! I love all of them. Here's chapter 70! Nothing really special, but I'm still excited we made it this far!**

* * *

"Damn, Tony. See what you did? You woke Emma up, and now she's freaking out because she heard the gunshot. This is why you don't randomly chase people who have guns," Taz said when she got out of the car. She had heard the gunshot and was going to see if everyone was okay. "Well excuse me for doing my job," Tony said.

"I don't think your job includes doing stupid things that almost get you killed," Taz said. Tony turned to Ziva and gave a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, Ziva. Your job isn't doing stupid things that almost get you killed."

"I have not done anything stupid recently."

"Notice the word 'recently' in there, Taz," Tony said. Taz swatted his arm. "Well, you really need to be careful!"

"You're starting to sound like Emma," Tony said. Emma hit his arm, too. "Hey!"

"Hi, how are you?" Tony replied. She glared at him. "Look, are we just going to stand here and argue, or are we going to get back to work?" Ziva asked. Tony turned around and finished with the pictures. Ziva sat in the car with Taz and Emma. She had already done the work she was allowed to do. "I have a test tomorrow. It's too late at night to be doing this shit," Taz said.

"Really, it's early in the morning. It's past midnight," Emma said.

"That's even worse!" Taz exclaimed. She sighed. "Remind me that the next time I need to stay with someone, to not even think about asking you," Taz said to Ziva.

"It is not our fault that this happened," Ziva said.

"I never said that it was. It's my fault for choosing to stay with the federal agents who married their job before they marry each other," Taz said.

"I am not married to my job," Ziva said.

"Then why don't you quit? It's insanely stressful, dangerous and you work with the most annoying people in the world. But you live with one of them, so it's kind of a lose-lose situation for you," Taz said. Ziva raised her eyebrows at her. "I am not quitting my job, Taz. I love it," Ziva said.

"But at least admit that there are some days when you're tempted to just pack up and leave," Taz said.

"Only a few, but those are mostly related to the fact that Tony is a big pain in the ass," Ziva explained. Taz leaned back and smirked. "And yet, you're still marrying him," she said.

"Where is this conversation even coming from?" Emma asked.

"I was just wondering. Who else would actually come back to work after a day like yesterday? A person married to their job. And, be honest, Tony is a major pain in the ass," Taz explained.

"Well, yeah. But that's part of his charm," Emma said. Taz thought about Emma's answer for a minute. "I guess that's true," she finally said. "But I'm still saying you're married to your job."

"If you worked for Gibbs, you would understand," Ziva said. Taz shook her head. "Nope, still not seeing how in the world or in space I will ever understand this," she said.

* * *

"I've been up since eleven, Abby. I had a softball game last night, Abby. I have a full day of school ahead of me Abby. So, it would really help if you would let me have the last sip of Caf-Pow," Taz said. She was standing in Abby's lab, glaring at the cup. They both had a hold of it. There was enough for one more person. "No, I have work to do," Abby said.

"And I have a test that I need to stay awake for," Taz said.

"You're not working on finding a crazy killer," Abby replied.

"You're not a seventeen-year-old girl who has a family to go home to after a long day at school," Taz said.

"It's my cup of Caf-Pow. In my lab," Abby snapped. Taz glared at her. "I thought elderly people were supposed to be nice," Taz growled. Abby's jaw dropped. "And I thought un-desirables didn't like to be around people," Abby said. Taz narrowed her eyes at Abby. "Give. Me. The. Damn. Cup," Taz said. Abby didn't let go of the Caf-Pow. "Fine, have it your way," Taz said. She grabbed the knife on Abby's desk and stuck it in the bottom of the cup. The last bit of the drink went to the floor. "Why do you even have a knife here?" Taz asked, shaking the drink off her hands.

"Because that's what I'm going to use to kill you," Abby said. Taz didn't move. They stood there, staring at each other. "Oh, you two stop your fighting," Gibbs said, walking in.

"Taz just wasted the last of my Caf-Pow," Abby said.

"Abby wouldn't let me get the last sip even though I only got an hour of sleep last night," Taz said. Gibbs stood in between them. "What've you got, Abbs?" He asked.

"A match on the bullet. It matches the ID that Tony took from the man. He just bought a one-way plane ticket to Arizona. His flight left one hour ago. He's made contact with a cell phone located in what seems to be the middle of nowhere," Abby explained, her eyes never leaving Taz's.

"Taz, did you study for your test like I told you to?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes. And then I printed off a study guide and got all of the answers right without using my notes," Taz said, still glaring at Abby. Gibbs had a smirk on his face. "Good work, both of you," he said. He handed them both fresh cups of Caf-Pow. Taz smiled and kissed Gibbs' cheek. "Thanks, Gibbs!" She exclaimed. She winked at Abby and took a sip of her Caf-Pow. She walked out. Abby rolled her eyes. "Did you just see her get an attitude with me?" Abby asked. Gibbs kissed her cheek. "You're still me favorite," he said. Abby smiled.

* * *

Gibbs walked back up to the bullpen. "DiNozzo, you're with me," he said.

"Where're we going?" He asked. Gibbs smirked. "Arizona," he said. Tony hung his head. "Please tell me we're not-"

"Yep, better pack your boots," Gibbs said. Ziva chuckled. Tony grabbed his things. Gibbs walked out. "Good luck," she said. Tony kissed her cheek on the way out. "Thanks, I'm going to need it," he said. Emma looked at her confused. "Tony is not good when it comes to horses. He cannot ride them and he is not an outdoors person," Ziva explained.

"Well, I'm not good with tests," Taz said. She had taken the stairs because she wanted to avoid Gibbs. "Where'd you get the Caf-Pow?" Emma asked.

"Gibbs," Taz said. Emma yawned. "I could use some," she said. Taz handed the cup to her. Ziva snatched it away. "No, you could not use some," she said. She handed the cup back to Taz. "Can you take her to school on your way?" Ziva asked. Taz nodded. "Yes, I can. Come on, Emma. I've got to be there early," she said.

"Okay," Emma replied. She stood up. Ziva went down to Abby's lab. "So, Tony has to go back to Arizona?" she asked.

"Yeah, and I bet he wasn't happy about it," Abby said.

"No, he was not. Maybe they will not have to ride horses," Ziva said.

"It's a shack located in the middle of nowhere. Unless they plan to get an undetectable helicopter, they're going to have to ride horses, or some kind of off-road vehicle," Abby said. They both laughed. "I would pay to see Tony on an ATV," Abby said.

"I am sure he could pull it off," Ziva said. They exchanged looks again and laughed. "We'll just have to wait and see, now won't we?" Abby asked.

"We will. I hope it is not horses. He could not even sit down," Ziva said. Abby shook her head. "Poor Tony," she said. Her phone rang. "It's McGee!" She exclaimed. Ziva nodded and backed out of the lab, slowly. She smiled and went back up to the bullpen.

* * *

**A/N: Great! Tony gets to go back to Arizona! I saw that episode the other day and I thought, 'Why don't we make him go back to Arizona?' So totally not my idea on him and Gibbs going to Arizona. Please tell me what you think and thanks for reading!**

**P.S. I'll try to get chapter two of What If up today, but no promises.**


	71. Chapter 71

Ziva looked down at her phone. Tony was calling from their house. "Tony, your jeans are folded and on the table in front of the dryer," She said.

"Oh, thanks! But that's not why I'm calling."

"Then, why are you calling?" Ziva asked, leaning back in her chair. She looked around at the lonely bullpen. "Can't a guy call his girl without getting chewed on? Jeez," Tony said. Ziva felt her patience starting to wear down. "Right, um I was calling to ask if you could please go get my handcuffs from Taz," Tony said.

"Why does she have your handcuffs?" Ziva asked.

"Who has who's handcuffs?" Abby asked, coming in. She sat at McGee's desk. "I bet she took them when… yep, that's when she took them," Tony said.

"Why can you not go get them?" Ziva whined. She pouted even though Tony couldn't see her. She put the phone on speaker so Abby could hear the response. "Because she'll hurt me," Tony whined back.

"Grow a pair and go get the damn handcuffs, Tony," Abby said. Tony laughed. "I've got a pair. Why else do you think-"

"Stop, Tony," Ziva said.

"That was very Taz-ish of you," Tony said. He sighed over the phone. "No, Tony, I am not going to get your handcuffs, Tony," Ziva said.

"Well, it was worth a try. I love you, Ziva," Tony said.

"I love you, too," Ziva said. Tony hung up. "Well, that was interesting," Abby said.

"Taz somehow stole Tony's handcuffs. He wanted me to go get them," Ziva explained.

"Well, you can't anyway, because we're going to lunch, then we're going to see McGee," Abby said. She stood up. Ziva didn't move. Abby looked at her. "Come on, Ziva. We've got to be back before their flight lands," she said. Ziva smiled and stood up. She got an idea. "What if we got Emma, went to lunch, saw McGee and went shopping?" she asked.

"I don't think we have time for all of that," Abby said. Ziva pulled her keys out of her pocket. "That explains our time problem," Abby said. They walked out together.

* * *

Tony got out of his car. He looked at the school. "DiNozzo, you better make this quick. We've got a flight to catch," Gibbs said. Tony sighed and walked in the front doors. He went into the main office. "I need to know where Taz is," he said.

"Who?" The woman at the front desk asked.

"Sorry, Toni Zellman," Tony corrected. The woman typed something in the computer. "Okay, she's in room 323," the woman said. Tony thanked her and stepped out in the hallway. "Just one problem, I don't know where the hell room 323 is," he said to himself. He walked down the hallway and looked at every number. He found the room Taz was supposedly in. He knocked on the door. The teacher came and opened it. "Sir, we're in the middle of a test right now," she said. Tony pulled out his badge. The teacher looked at it and let him through. He found Taz. He cleared his throat. The whole class looked up. He pointed at Taz and motioned with his finger for her to come here. She put her pencil down and stood up. "Bring your bag, please," he said. She turned around and picked her bag up. "Tony, you could've put your damn jacket on," she hissed when she got to the front of the classroom.

"Now what fun would that be?" he asked. He noticed the whole class still looking at them. "Please, go back to your…" he looked at the test on the teacher's desk. "What ever the he-" Taz hit his stomach. He hunched over. "I mean this awesome math stuff," Tony finished. They slowly looked back at their papers. "Thank you," Tony said.

"What do you want, Tony?" She asked.  
"My handcuffs," Tony said. She smirked. "Hell no, I'm not giving those to you where everyone can see," she said.

"Then, please step out in the hallway," Tony said. Taz shoved him with her shoulder when she walked by. "Take your damn handcuffs and get the hell out of here. You've embarrassed me enough," she snapped. She walked past him. He grabbed her arm. "How in the world have I embarrassed you?" Tony asked.

"By walking into my classroom with your freaking gun and badge showing!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry, but you took my handcuffs, it's your fault," Tony said.

"No, you should know by now that I have the tendency to take things that belong to you," she said.

"And you should know that it's wrong to steal," Tony said, trying to remain calm. Taz fought to get her arm free. "Let go of me!" Taz said. Tony pressed his finger against her lips. "Stop!" he said forcefully. She bit his finger. "Hey!" he yelled.

"Hey, how ya' doing?" Taz asked. She finally got her arm free and walked back in the classroom. She slammed the door behind her. Tony sighed and walked back down the hallway.

* * *

Ziva, Abby and Emma walked into the hospital. Emma had a balloon in her hands that said 'Get Well Soon'. They walked into McGee's room. He was asleep. Abby kissed him to wake him up. "Well, hello there," McGee said. Abby smiled. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked. Emma handed him the balloon. "I'm not sure why they're not at work, but they came and got me," Emma said.

"Why aren't you at work?" McGee asked.

"We don't really have anything to do right now. Tony and Gibbs are going to Arizona, the prints at the crime scene match the man their going after and we have nothing better to do," Abby said.

"Oh, so I'm a last resort?" McGee asked.

"No, Timmy. We just thought it would be nice if we came to visit you," Abby said. She laid down by McGee. Emma sat at the foot of the bed. "So, what've you been up to?" Emma asked.

"Playing baseball," McGee said. Emma raised one eyebrow at him. "I don't appreciate sarcasm," she said.

"Why not? You use it all the time," Ziva said. Emma thought for a minute. "Well, it's different when I use it," she said.

"Not really," McGee said.

"Yes, because I can pull it off," Emma said.

"You're pretty smart for a seven-year old," Abby said. Emma nodded. "Mommy always told me that I had a big brain," she said. "Unlike Tony, who's just got a big head and nothing inside of it," Emma said.

"Tony is smart," Ziva said.

"I don't think she's talking about street smart, Ziva," McGee said. "I think she's more along the lines of he's not book smart."

"What's the difference?" Emma asked.

"Book smart is like school. Street smart is more like what you have to think about when you're a federal agent," Ziva said.

"So, street smart is like… what do I do if this person shoots at me?" Emma asked.

"If you want to put it that way," Ziva said. Ziva's phone started ringing. "Tony, do you not have a flight to catch?" She asked.

"Well, I love you, too, sweet cheeks."

"Sorry," she said. "How may I be of assistance?" She asked.

"Taz is pissed off at me. If she brings Emma back from school, tell her that I didn't mean to embarrass her," Tony explained.

"How did you manage to embarrass her?" Ziva asked.

"I don't even know," Tony said. Ziva laughed. "I will tell her," Ziva said.

"Thank you so much," Tony said.

"I love you, Tony. Please be careful," Ziva said. Tony chuckled. "I will," he said.


	72. Chapter 72

**A/N: I'm trying to get this up early since I have a very busy schedule. We get a glimpse at the start of the Arizona case! Tony and horses! Yay! We have another surprise as well. Thank you for your reviews. I appreciate them! Please enjoy!**

* * *

"So, Abby, what are you even looking for?" Emma asked. They only had a little more time before they had to get back to work. "I'm looking for the perfect outfit," Abby said.

"Okay, just hurry up. I don't want to die trying to get back to school," Emma said.

"I thought you enjoyed my driving," Ziva said.

"Not when you're on the wrong side of the road," Emma said in a 'Duh' tone. Ziva frowned and sat down on the bench. Emma sat by her. "Tony really can't ride horses?" Emma asked.

"He could not sit down for a week," Ziva said.

"Man, that stinks," Emma said. Ziva nodded. "But maybe it will not be bad this time," she said.

"Let's hope so," Emma said.

* * *

Abby and Ziva walked back into the bullpen. Ziva checked her e-mail. "We have already got photos coming in," she said. Abby sighed. "Of?" She asked.

"Our suspect. Apparently he was spotted at the airport," Ziva said. She started a search on cab he left in. "This is going to be a hard case," Ziva said.

'Why's that?" Abby asked.

"I'm the only one working," Ziva said.

"Tony and Gibbs are working. McGee supposed to be back soon," Abby said.

"How soon?" Ziva asked.

"Well, the doctor said since it didn't really qualify as a heart attack, he should be able to come back tomorrow I think."

"You think?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, they did tests on him, and his heart is as good as new," Abby said.

"Until then, this is going to be hard," Ziva said.

"I wouldn't say that, Agent David," Vance said. She turned to see him. He had a man with him. "Who's that?" Ziva asked.

"This is Agent Duncan. He will be helping with the case while Agent McGee is away."

"McGee will be back tomorrow," Ziva said.

"I understand that, but you two are going to need more help," Vance said.

"We managed it before," Ziva replied.

"That was a totally different case. Agent Duncan will be working with you and that's the last I want to hear of it," Vance said. He walked away. Agent Duncan walked in. "It's nice to meet you…"

"Agent David," Ziva said.

"Do you have a first name? Or is it Agent?" Duncan asked. Ziva didn't even crack a smile. "Okay, I'm Agent Duncan, but you can call me Justin."

"I think I will stick to Duncan," Ziva snapped. She rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the screen. Duncan walked over to Tony's desk. "That desk is not available," Ziva snapped.

"Which one is?" Duncan asked. Ziva pointed to the one behind the wall by McGee's desk. "Thank you, Agent David," Duncan said. He sat down at the desk. Ziva shook her head. "This is going to be interesting," Abby said as she walked by.

"Better hide all the paper clips," Ziva said. Abby laughed. "So, what've we got so far?" Duncan asked. He walked over and sat on the edge of her desk. She stood up and walked over to Gibbs' desk. She picked up a file. "This is the case report," she said.

"And instead of doing this the easy way…"

"You will do it my way," Ziva said.

"Tell me," Duncan said, putting the file down. "what are the other people like?"

"Not like you," Ziva said. Duncan smirked. "What's your deal?" He asked. Ziva looked up at him. "Are you the girl who acts all scary, but she's really a sweet heart?" he asked.

"I can kill you eighteen different ways with a paperclip. I would not push your luck with me," Ziva said.

"Eighteen? That's pretty impressive," Duncan said. He smiled at her. "I'm going to figure out your first name. You know that, right?" he asked.

"I know a lot of things. Such as, if you do not get your ass off of my desk, you are not going to have an ass to put on my desk," Ziva said. Duncan stood up. "Damn, feisty aren't you?" he asked.

"You have no idea," Ziva said. She glared as Duncan began reading the file.

* * *

Tony and Gibbs stepped out of the car. "Boss, how are we getting to this location?" Tony asked.

"Horses, DiNozzo. How else would we?" Gibbs said. Tony sighed. "I was just hoping for something other than horses."  
"Well, you got your hopes up," Gibbs said. A truck pulled up with a trailer. A woman stepped out of the truck. Tony smiled at her. "What's that grin for, City Boy?" She asked.

"Nothing. I was just trying to be nice to you," Tony said. The woman raised her eyebrows and opened the trailer. Tony sighed when she tossed him the saddle. "How do you make it look so light?" He asked.

"Shut up, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. He put the saddle on his horse. Tony did the same. "I think we've got it," Tony said.

"You wouldn't make it three miles out here," she said.

"Well, it took us five miles to get here," Tony said. The woman laughed. "You don't have to be a smartass," she said.

"It's better than being a dumb ass, right?" Tony asked. Gibbs reached over and slapped his head. "I said, shut up, DiNozzo."

"Shutting up, boss," Tony said. He climbed up on his horse. "If you two are done, can we please get this over with?" she asked.

"Got somewhere to be?" Tony asked.

"No, I just don't want to be out here overnight," she answered.

"We might need to be," Gibbs said. The woman looked over her shoulder. "Were you planning on walking your horses?" She asked.

"If that's not the best way, then no," Gibbs said.

"Well, you had better hold on tight, because I chose my fastest horses for this," she said.

"Why?" Tony asked.

"Because it won't take long to get there with these horses," she said. "We can stay in a little shack that's close to your destination. I just don't want to stay outside."

"What's your name?' Tony asked.

"Erin. Yours?" She asked.

"I'm Tony," he answered.

"And I'm ready to get our suspect," Gibbs said. Erin nodded. "I better be able to sit after this," Tony said.

* * *

Ziva broke her pen in half. Duncan had been getting on her last nerve. He tossed her a folder. "What the hell is this?" She asked.

"The route of the cab Douglas took from the airport, the report from the driver and the location Douglas made his last call. All in that folder," Duncan said. Ziva opened it. She saw everything he had described. "What do you think, Ziva?" He asked.  
"How did you find out my name?" She asked.

"I'm just good like that," Duncan said.

"No you're not. You probably went through her things when she went to the bathroom," Taz said. She came into the bullpen with Emma. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

"I could ask the same thing about you," Taz replied.

"I don't appreciate your attitude. You don't need to talk to adults that way," Duncan said. Ziva held back a smirk. This was going to be funny. Taz tilted her head. She sat down at Tony's desk and propped her head in her hands. "Is that so?" she asked.

"Yes. If you think you're being charming right now, you're wrong," Duncan said.

"You're really good looking, did you know that?" Taz asked.

"What?" Duncan asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were having a lying contest," Taz said. Duncan approached her. She didn't move. "Did you mother ever teach you manners?" Duncan asked.

"Yes, she did. But because of the fact that I really don't like dealing with people like you, I choose to ignore my mother's teachings," Taz said.

"I'm going to try a new approach," Duncan said. "My name is Justin Duncan. I'm working a case with this team. What's your name?" He asked.

"I like your approach, now let's see your departure," Taz said. Ziva felt a smile spread across her face. Taz never changed her facial expression. Duncan rolled his eyes and went back to his desk. "So, what's up with him?" Taz whispered across the bullpen. Ziva shrugged her shoulders. "Tony said that he feels bad for embarrassing you today," Ziva said.

"I'm not forgiving him," Taz said.

"What did he do?" Ziva asked.

"He walked into my classroom with his badge and gun showing. Now people think that the cops are after me," Taz said.

"You should not have taken his handcuffs," Ziva said.

"So now you're going to chew me out?" She asked.

"No, I am just trying to help you," Ziva said. Taz shook her head. "I don't need any help," she said. Duncan came back in. "I'm running a search on any car that he might have rented," he said.

"When is it going to find a match?" Ziva asked.

"Patience, Grasshopper," Duncan said. Taz scoffed. "Suck it, sensei," she said. "I can't stand when people say that."

"I just started the search and as I was saying-"

"Please continue, we're anxious to know more," Taz said in a sarcastic tone.

"Listen! I don't' know what the hell your problem is, but it is really rude to interrupt people!" Duncan yelled. Taz raised her eyebrows at him. "Did you just raise your voice at me?" she asked.

"I did. I have never dealt with anyone as rude as you," Duncan said.

"Well, you're going to love Tony, then," Taz said. She stood up. "I'm leaving now because this is no longer a safe environment for Emma's young ears," she said.

"Bye, Taz. Thank you for dropping Emma off," Ziva said.

"You're welcome. Bye, Dickens," Taz said.

"It's Duncan!" He yelled.

"I know, the first part of that name fits your personality, though," Taz said. She smirked and walked to the elevator. Duncan looked at Ziva. "Wha…" he began.

"Agent Duncan, welcome to the rest of this case. The whole team has a personality like her, just not as… teenage," Ziva said. Duncan sighed and went back to his computer.

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to have to cut this a/n short because of time. Please tell me what you think! I love to hear from you! Thank you for reading!**


	73. Chapter 73

**A/N: Sorry about not having a chapter up yesterday. It's been an emotional weekend. So, if an emotional chapter comes up, I'm really sorry. Thank you so much for your review! I love you guys soo much! Here's chapter 73! please enjoy!**

* * *

Tony stepped outside the shack they were sleeping in. The sun was setting. He pulled out his phone and saw no service. "Do you have any type of phone?" He asked. Erin stood up from the cot she was sitting on. "That phone should work," she said. She took it from Tony and stood on a rock. "Right here," she said. Tony sighed and climbed up on the rock. He dialed Ziva's number. "Hi, sweet cheeks," he said.

"Hi, Tony," she said, sleepily.

"Ziva, you should go home."

"Tony, we have a lot of work to do because Ducky found a microchip in Fraizer's skin. Abby is buried and cannot make room for the microchip. McGee is coming back tomorrow, and the only other option we have is-"

"Ziva, do you want me to handle this microchip now or later?" Duncan asked.

"Who was that?" Tony asked.

"Special Agent Duncan. He is working with us during this case," Ziva explained.

"I never got an answer, Ziva," he said. Tony heard Ziva slam the phone on the desk. He heard her chair move. He waited patiently as he heard things being thrown, things said in Hebrew and Ziva explain something. "It is that simple. You do what you need to do, then you can interrupt me. Do you understand?" She asked.

"I don't know. Can you explain it one more time?" Duncan asked. Tony smirked. This guy wasn't going to last long if he kept doing that. "_This_ is why I hate people, Tony," she said.

"How has your day been?" Tony asked, trying to change the subject.

"Just perfect. I had to deal with this idiot, Taz was an absolute bitch to him, I laughed, but she was still a bitch."

"Speaking of Taz…" Tony began.

"She doesn't forgive you, Tony," Emma said.

"How did she hear that?" Tony asked.

"You might be on speaker phone," Ziva said. Tony laughed. "Thanks, that would have been nice information. So, what did you do to Duncan?" Tony asked.

"Nothing serious," Ziva said.

"She made him sit down, she taped his feet together, threw the tape at him and shoved him just for fun," Emma explained.

"Would you stop that?" Ziva asked.

"I would, but-" she stopped. "Stopping," she said. Tony smirked. "You have such a way with people," he said.

"I always have," Ziva said.

"I was being sarcastic," Tony said. Ziva sighed. "I used to have a way with people," she said.

"Then you became a bitch because you let the hormones control your life," he said.

"And who's fault would that be?" She snapped.

"Not mine," Tony said. He could almost hear her glare. "Are we really going to have this argument again?" she asked.

"I don't know what argument you're talking about," Tony said.

"The one that we blame each other on who is to blame for this," Ziva said.

"Well, I was just being a man. So, that makes it your own fault," Tony said.

"Do not even go there," she snapped.

"Who are you talking to?" Duncan asked.

"Is it really any of your business?" Tony asked. He almost lost his balance. "Just being curious," Duncan said.

"Well, you know, curiosity killed the cat," Emma said. Ziva chuckled. "I think we all know it's your fault, Tony," Abby said.

"Are you having a party?" Tony asked.

"What's your fault?" Duncan asked. Tony got an idea. "Agent Duncan, I am Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, the senior field agent. I do believe that if you keep interrupting mine and Agent David's conversation, you will regret it."

"You're in Arizona. You can't do anything to me," Duncan said.

"No, but that teenager you met today, she could destroy you in a few seconds," Tony said.

"What, is she your daughter or something?" Duncan asked. Tony fake-laughed. "Oh, God no," he said.

"Then, who the hell was she?" Duncan asked.

"You don't need to know that," Tony said. He heard Abby and Ziva talking. "Is the little girl here your daughter?" Duncan asked.

"No, Duncan she's not, but she might as well be. Because I will always treat her like she's my daughter."

"Do you have a daughter?" Duncan asked. Tony was quiet. "Do you have children at all?" Duncan questioned.

"Yes, I do," Tony said.

"Where are they?" Duncan asked.

"I want you to look really close at Agent David. Do you notice something?" Tony asked.

"I haven't really paid attention to her looks," Duncan said. Tony laughed. "You need to," Tony said. He waited for the response. "She's pregnant, so what?" Tony didn't answer. He smiled when Duncan gasped. "Wait, that's-"

"Yep," Tony said.

"And you're-"

"Uh-huh."

"This is a really messed up team," Duncan said. Tony nodded. "Yes, it is. Please put Agent David back on the phone."

"Tony, what did you say to him?" Ziva asked.

"Why do you ask that?"

"He has a shocked expression on his face," Ziva said.

"Just what he needed to know," Tony said. "Okay, I have to go. I love you," Tony said.

"I love you, too," Ziva said. Tony smiled. "Goodnight, sweet cheeks."

"Goodnight, Tony," she said. He hung up. He looked up at the sky. "Wife?" Erin asked. She had snuck up behind him. He jumped and lost his balance. He fell from the rock. "What the hell?" He asked.

"I was just curious," Erin said. Tony got up. "No, fiancé," Tony said. He rubbed the back of his head. "You have children?" She asked.

"Kind of," Tony said. He sat on the rock. Erin sat beside him. He showed her a picture of Emma that he had on his phone. "What do you mean kind of?"

"We're her legal guardians," Tony said.

"We?" Erin asked. Tony showed her the picture of Ziva. "We're expecting our first… two," Tony said.

"Twins as her first pregnancy?" Erin asked. Tony nodded. "I know, crazy."

"I had a son," Erin said. Tony looked at her. "Had?" he asked.

"Yes. He died as an infant. His lungs didn't function properly when he was born," she said.

"I'm sorry," Tony said. Erin nodded. "Thank you. We should get inside."

* * *

Ziva looked up from the search her computer was running. "Is there a problem, Agent Duncan?" She asked.

"No, I'm just wondering why you're carrying the senior field agent's child," he said.

"I am just wondering why you have an interest to know," she snapped.

"So, that's why you're your attitude is bitchy," Duncan said. He smiled. "It all makes sense now," he said. Ziva glared at him. "Be careful, she'll throw scissors," Emma said. She stood up and walked to the end of the bullpen. She walked back to Tony's desk and sat down. She spun around in the chair and ended up knocking something off. "That is why you need to behave. Surely you're old enough to know better," Duncan said.

"Well, of course I'm old enough to know better, but I'm young enough to do it anyway," Emma said. She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "This is insane," he said.

"That you keep getting told off by kids?" Ziva asked.

"No that the kids can be so rude," Duncan said.

"Well, excuse us for not being Mister Everyone has to be Perfect," Emma said. Duncan squatted down in front of Emma. "How old are you?" He asked.

"Take about a hundred years from your age," Emma said. She crossed her arms. "I'm only thirty-eight," Duncan said.

"That's really old," Emma said.

"Is she normally this mean?" Duncan asked.

"Not usually, but she is tired," Ziva said. Duncan stood up. "Okay, let's call it a night," he said.

"If we call it a night, we have to be in at six in the morning," Ziva said.

"I won't get any sleep!" Duncan explained.

"Then I guess you're out of luck," Abby said. She look tired. "I'm calling it a night."  
"Will you stay with McGee tonight?" Ziva asked. Abby nodded. Ziva smiled. "Abby, we have an early start in the morning," she said.

"I'm too tired for that," she said. "We haven't even done anything like that yet."

"Yes you have."

"Okay, fine. But not what that is the result of," Abby said, pointing to Ziva's stomach.

"Then what have you done?" Ziva asked.

"Nothing serious. We've kept our clothes on if that's what you're wondering," Abby said.

"Goodnight, Abby," Ziva said. She and Emma walked to the elevator.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, gotta love Emma! The next chapter might be focused mostly on the mission. That's my plan, anyway. Please tell me what you think! If you have any requests about what you would like to see, please tell me. Thank you for reading!**


	74. Chapter 74

**A/N: Chapter 74! That's pretty good! Both stories will have new chapters today... so yayy! Thank you for all your reviews. I appreciate them. Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Tony! Wake up!" Erin hissed. Tony woke up, but he didn't open his eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked. He looked at his watch. "It's three in the freaking morning!" Tony whispered. "I don't know if you noticed, but while we let you get the cot, we got the floor."

"I noticed," Erin whispered. Tony sat up. It was really dark, but he saw Gibbs kneeling beneath the window. "Erin, get moving on that vault," he said. Erin started crawling forward. "What the hell is going on?" He asked.

"DiNozzo, follow Erin. Stay low, and stay quiet," Gibbs said. Tony rolled over and got on his hands and knees. Erin looked back. "Be quiet," she said. Tony nodded. They made their way to the corner of the shack. "Stop looking at my ass," Erin said.

"I'm just trying to follow you. I'm not meaning to," Tony said. She stopped and Tony crawled beside her. She pulled a floor board up and a staircase was revealed. "What in the world?" He asked. Erin started down the stairs. Tony followed. "This is the secret weapon vault," Erin explained.

"Why do we need the weapon vault?" Tony asked.

"We don't know. There is activity outside," Erin said. Gibbs came down the stairs. "Damn. This is serious," he said. Erin nodded. "I thought you were just a woman who knew her way around this place," Tony said.

"I am, but when this is the area criminals go... you tend to get supplies for people like you," Erin said.

"How many agencies?" Gibbs asked. Erin thought. "Pretty much all of them," she said. "Shit, I don't think boxers and a t-shirt will work," she looked at Tony. He sighed. "What will work?" Tony asked.

"Clothes," she said.

"You're not wearing proper clothes. I don't think shorts and a tank top work," he said. She opened a door. "That's where you keep clothes?" He asked. She nodded. "Go find your bag, and be quiet," she said. Tony crawled back up the stairs. He saw his bag less than five feet away. He crawled and grabbed it. He brought it back down. "Boss, how are you dressed?" He asked. Gibbs didn't answer. Erin tossed him a vest. He put it on over his shirt. He pulled a pair of jeans on. She pulled a sliding wall to the side. There were guns on the wall. "You know how to fire one of these, right?" She asked.

"Yes, Erin," he said. She tossed him a gun. Gibbs opened a drawer. He grabbed a knife. "Rule nine, DiNozzo." Tony took the knife. He yawned. "Are we ready now?" he asked.

"Let's roll," Erin said. They put earwigs in. They went back up the stairs. Erin went first. She went to the door. She pushed it open a little ways. She looked back at Gibbs. They communicated in sign language. Tony was lost. Erin turned to him. "Armed bandits. This isn't just a gang, they're trained killers," she said.

"How do you know?" Tony asked.

"Night vision goggles, suppressors on their guns and the freaking tattoo all of them have," she whispered. Tony looked. "Got it. What's the plan?"

"We sneak around so that we have the advantage. We find out what they want. They fire first, kill them," she said. Tony nodded. They walked out. "I'm too sore for this sneaking around shit," Tony whispered. They were almost to the point Erin wanted to reach, when it all went downhill. Flashlights were pointed at them, guns were pointed at them and they were told to drop their weapons. They dropped their weapons. A man walked up to Tony and hit him with the end of his gun. The world went black.

* * *

Ziva was staring at her phone. Tony and Gibbs should have been on their way back. Only if everything had gone as planned. She kept expecting her phone to ring and Tony would tell her they were on the plane. No one had heard from them. McGee was at his desk. "Something is wrong," Ziva said.

"I'll say. We have another team member," McGee whispered. Duncan shook his head. He stood up. "No, McGee. I mean we have not even heard from them. No one has. This is not normal," she said.

"I'm sure they're fine, Ziva," McGee said. Ziva, for some reason, didn't believe him. She had a worried expression. "Agents David, McGee and Duncan, please come to my office," Vance said from the stairs. They stood up and walked to his office. "You're going to want to sit down for this," he said. Ziva felt her heart stop. "It seems there was a mishap early this morning at the shack our Agents, along with Miss Erin Barker, were located at. We found their belongings, but not them. There were signs of a struggle outside. The Navy sent a team to search."

"What good is that going to do?" Duncan asked. "_We_ need to go. It's our case, our people."

"Agent Duncan, will you please let me finish?" He asked. "We are sending a team, your team. Agent David, you will-"

"No, Director. I will not stay here and wait for them to find him."

"Be going with them," Vance finished. McGee tensed up. "I don't think that's such a good idea," he said.

"I've got everything handled, Agent McGee. You leave in three hours. Go home, pack, make arrangements for Emma," Vance said. The team stood up and walked out. They stood outside of the office. "Duncan, will you please excuse us for a minute?" McGee asked. He nodded. McGee looked at Ziva. "Don't you dare do that, Ziva," he said.

"Do what?" She asked.

"I see that look in your eye. You will not put your life and the two other lives in danger. Do you understand?" McGee asked. Ziva rolled her eyes. "Ziva, do you understand?" McGee asked. She nodded. "Thank you," McGee said. He walked away. Ziva went down the stairs. She walked out with Agent Duncan. They stood in the elevator. He reached across and flipped the switch. "What the hell is wrong with me?" He asked.

"Nothing. We just do not like new agents. It has always been like that. When I first came, they did not like me. I probably will never like you, but I am happy to have a person who works hard on this team," Ziva said. She flipped the switch.

* * *

"What've we got so far?" McGee asked right when they arrived on base. Duncan was carrying the bags. "We found tire tracks. We sent them to your people for matching. The earwigs that were used, are trackable. If we can catch the signal-"

"Give me the computer, data and five minutes. I'll find 'em," McGee said. Ziva smirked. "Feeling important, McGee?" She asked.

"It's just good to be back," he said. He walked towards the lab. Duncan and Ziva followed a man to where they would be staying. "We're sharing a room?" Duncan asked.

"Yes, is there a problem with that?" The man asked.

"No, this is perfect. Thank you," Ziva said. She waited until the man was gone to hit Duncan. "Ouch! What was that for?" He asked.

"Being rude," Ziva said.

"So, I can hit Emma and Taz when they're rude?" He asked.

"No, how did you figure out their names?" She asked. Duncan smirked and put the bags down. "I'm a federal agent. I have my ways. I get top bunk," he said.

"Feel free," Ziva replied. She took the single bed. She walked to the lab. McGee had already found the signals from the earwigs. She turned around and walked back towards their room. She saw an open door and looked in. A man pulled her aside. She gasped. "Why are you snooping?" He growled.

"I was looking for-"

"Me, she was looking for me," Duncan said. He pushed the man away from Ziva. "Are you two...?" He asked.

"Yes, we are," Duncan said. He pulled Ziva close to him and kissed her. The look that he gave her was 'just go with it'. She wrapped her arms around his neck loosely. His hands went to her hips. The man smiled and walked away. Ziva pulled back. "You are a dead man," she said.

"It was either that or have you get shot," he said. She shoved him. "That does not mean you just pull me into a kiss like that!" She yelled.

"You can't honestly say that you didn't enjoy it," Duncan said. They walked back to the room. "No, I cannot say that I enjoyed it!"

"Then why were you kissing back?" Duncan asked. Ziva opened her mouth to say something. She couldn't think of anything. "That's what I thought," Duncan said. McGee came in. "I was kissing back so that we would not get caught," Ziva said.

"What the hell did you do?" McGee asked.

"I saved her ass," Duncan said.

"By making me look like a whore!" Ziva said.

"You already look like one. You're pregnant. With a coworker's child!" Duncan said. Ziva threw her knife at him. He ducked. It was in the wall. He pulled it out and threw it right back. It grazed her ear. She felt blood. She leapt up and launched herself at him. McGee grabbed her and pulled her away from Duncan. He got the knife from the wall. "Ziva, you're going to ride the truck with us to the location Tony, Gibbs and Barker are. Duncan and I are going in with the team. I don't know what happened, but we have five minutes to be ready to go. Get your shit together, and be ready." He turned and walked out of the room. Duncan walked by Ziva. She punched him in the face, just for good measure.

* * *

**A/N: So, that was fun... right? Probably not. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	75. Chapter 75

**A/N: This is an action chapter. We have a shocker at the end, but you'll have to read and find out. I guess. Thank you for the reviews! I love them all! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Duncan and Ziva were forced to sit by each other. They tried to sit as far away from each other as possible. Ziva pressed against McGee's side. "I'm losing feeling in my arm, Ziva," he said.

"It will come back. I just do not want anything to do with this bastard right now," she said. McGee shook his head. "What did he do?" he asked.

"I stuck my head in a door to see what it was. A man pulled me to the side, he asked me why I was snooping. Duncan said I was looking for him. The man asked if we were together. Duncan said that we were, then he kissed me."

"And she kissed back," Duncan said. He finished tying his boot. "I did not kiss back, I went along with your stupid idea," Ziva said. He leaned back. "Okay, sure."

"I really hope this case is over after this," McGee said. Ziva nodded. "Then you can go back to where ever you came from," Ziva said. Duncan ran his fingers through his blond hair. "Do you even know where that is, David?" He asked.

"I do not, but you need to stay there," she said. He turned to her. "I came back from a six month deployment overseas. I was injured in combat. I can never go back. I'll be working for NCIS. You do realize that, right?" He asked, pulling his tags from under his shirt. Ziva resisted the urge to strangle him. "I won't be on your team, but I will be in that office building." Ziva didn't answer. She had a tear roll down her cheek. "How can you possibly be crying?" Duncan asked, slightly annoyed. McGee put his hand up to tell him to be quiet. Something was wrong. "Ziva," he said.

"Is this what it felt like? Coming to rescue me?" She asked. McGee frowned. "This is Arizona, not Somalia," he said.

"I know, and the circumstances are totally different. But is this what it was like?" She asked.

"No, Ziva, it wasn't. This has something to do with our job. Saving you, that was personal business," he said. Ziva looked at him. "What if there are too many men for you to stop?" She asked.

"Don't think on the negative side of things, Ziva," Duncan said. She wiped her tears away. "Look, I'm sorry for being such a dick. I've just been under stress lately. Is there anyway you'll forgive me?" He asked.

"I do not know."

"Better figure out soon, we're almost there," he said. Ziva turned back to McGee. "Ziva, everything is going to be okay," McGee said. She forced a smile. The truck came to a halt. Ziva moved to the front with the man who would be doing all the computer stuff. Before she got in, her phone rang. It was Abby. Ziva handed the phone to McGee. He answered. Ziva turned to Duncan. He was loading his weapon. "If you find a good enough way to ask for forgiveness, I might grant it," she said. McGee looked at the one vest that was left. He handed it to Duncan. "Take the vest, Duncan. I won't need it," he said. Ziva knew by the look on McGee's face that Abby was telling him that he needed the vest. "I'll be fine, Abby," he said. "Yes, I will. Don't give me that crap. If I do die, you're going to feel bad about yelling at me. I'm not going to die, Abby. Okay, I've got to go. Yes. I love you, too," McGee said. He hung up and handed the phone to Ziva. She had a smirk on her face. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing," Ziva said. She climbed in the truck.

* * *

They busted through the front door of a small church. It wasn't used for anything anymore, except as headquarters for this gang. They cleared the front room. "Okay, they must be upstairs." Half of them went upstairs, the other stay down. When there was only one room left, McGee took a deep breath. They kicked the door down. Tony, Gibbs and Erin were tied to chairs. Duncan shot one man and when all the men were down, they moved in to untie the three. "Probie! You don't know how happy I am to see your face," Tony said. McGee untied him. "I know," he said.

"We're going to move down. You three got it?" A Marine asked Duncan, McGee and another Marine.

"Yeah, we've got it," Duncan said. Erin stood up and tried to walk. She fell to the floor. "I think my leg's broken," she said. Duncan picked her up bride style. "I've got you," he said. She smiled. "Thanks," she said.

They got down the stairs. Tony and Gibbs picked up guns from the dead men. They went down the stairs. "We've got to go out the back! Reinforcements are coming in the front!"

"There is no back!" They tipped the benches over and ducked. Duncan put Erin down. He took his vest off. "Agent DiNozzo, put this on," he said. Tony took it. "Why am I putting it on?"

"You're the people we're rescuing. Won't be a good mission if you die," he said. Gibbs shook his head when the Marine tried to offer him one. "Get Erin out of here!" he said. The Marine nodded and picked Erin up. He went to a window and got out that way. Just in time, because when he went out, the reinforcements came in. "Where the hell did all these guys come from?" Duncan asked.

"They're a big group of people. You didn't clear the underground tunnels?" Tony asked. He peaked up and fired his gun. "So, until they're all dead, we've got to fight," he said. McGee ducked as bullet flew over his head. "Shit, that was close," he said. There was a grenade thrown right between them and the bench. Gibbs grabbed it and threw it back the way it came. "Can't freeze up like that," Gibbs said.

"They have grenades? Are they a gang or an army? This is insane," Duncan said. A man came and put his gun to Duncan. Duncan grabbed the gun, pulled the man down, punched him in the face, then, he pulled the pin from a grenade that the man had. He shoved the man hard. He stumble back, the grenade blew up. "Nice thinking," Tony said.

"That was a reflex that Iraq drilled into me."

"We've got to-" another grenade came in. Tony grabbed it and threw it towards the wall. A huge hole was created. "Now you're thinking, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. A few Marines got out. "We've got to make a break for it," Tony said.

"When it's safe enough," Gibbs said. They waited for a few seconds. "Duncan, Tony, go now!" He yelled. They stood up and ran towards the hole in the wall. A man cut in front of them. He hit Tony with his gun. Tony fell to the floor. Duncan grabbed the gun before Tony could be shot. The shot fired into him instead. He grabbed his chest, but held onto the gun. He knocked the man down, then shot him. He pulled Tony out of the building. McGee and Gibbs went next. They turned and saw Duncan slumped against the wall. He was still breathing, but he had been shot right in the chest. "McGee, get DiNozzo," Gibbs said. McGee put Tony on his shoulders. Gibbs helped Duncan up. He put his arm around his shoulder. "You're gonna make it," Gibbs said. Duncan grabbed his hand gun. He fired over his shoulder and hit a man. "Nice shot," Gibbs said.

"I could probably school you, old man," Duncan said. Gibbs laughed. McGee fell to the ground. "McGee!" Gibbs yelled.

"I'm fine, it's just my arm. I think it was hit," he said. Gibbs looked at McGee's shoulder. "It doesn't look bad," Gibbs said. McGee stood back up and put a limp, and very heavy Tony, on his shoulders. "You just broke a rule, boss," McGee said. "Always be convincing when you lie."

"It's always be specific when you lie, McGee," Gibbs corrected. They made their way to the trucks. Ziva saw them and got out of the car. "Stay there, Ziva!" McGee yelled. She stopped. They reached the truck. McGee put Tony down. "Is he okay?" Ziva asked, kneeling down.

"He's fine, but we need to get them back to the base," Gibbs said. He went to the truck. Ziva was on the ground with Duncan and Tony. She saw Duncan's chest. Then, she looked at Tony's vest. "Y-you gave him your vest?" she asked. Duncan nodded. "And I took this bullet for him," he said. "Is that a good enough apology?" He asked.

"Justin," she said. He smiled. "You called me Justin," he said. She nodded. "Ziva, get his shirt off, see how bad it is," Gibbs said. Ziva grabbed her knife and cut his shirt off. She saw a hole right where his heart was. "Gibbs, it is in his heart," she said. Duncan had another shot in his stomach. Ziva used Duncan's shirt to try and stop the bleeding from his first wound. "Justin, look into my eyes," Ziva said. He opened his eyes. He put his hand on her arm. He let out a yell of pain through clenched teeth. "I know it hurts. Look at me, do not close your eyes," Ziva said. She held his head up so that he could look at her. "How often do you work out?" she asked.

"Every morning," he said. "Can you tell?"

"Yes, you have very nice muscles," she said. He laughed, but it turned into a cough. He turned his head and spit blood out. He looked back up at Ziva. She saw something in his eyes. "Do not do it," she said. Duncan smiled. "I'm so sorry, Ziva. Please tell me I made a good enough apology. I won't go in peace if it wasn't," he said.

"You will not go at all," Ziva said. She felt tears coming. Duncan had already beaten her at who could start crying sooner. He had tears streaming down his face. "Please tell Taz that I really think she's a wonderful young lady."

"You are going to tell her yourself. We are going back to D.C.," Ziva said. A tear made it's way down her face. She had blood all over her. "I won't be going back," Duncan said. "I want my body buried in my hometown. Please," Duncan said.

"You are not going to need to make arrangements for that yet," Ziva said. She was begging him now. "Please, do not do this," she said.

"I thought you didn't like me," Duncan said.

"I do not, but you saved Tony's life. You saved the man who is like my dad, you are allowing my children to know their father and grandfather. I want them to know the man who made that possible," Ziva said.

"Tell them. Say that I died... because someone like you... doesn't deserve anymore shit to happen."

"How do you know I have been through shit?" Ziva asked.

"Your eyes have years of pain and suffering in them. That is something you can't hide," Duncan said. Ziva let out a sob. "Ziva, I know you don't give a shit about me, but it was really nice working with you," he said. His smile faded. Ziva saw the life go from his eyes. She reached up and closed his eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see McGee. She stood up. "Come here," he said. She walked into his open arms. "He saved him, McGee. Then asked if that was a good enough apology."

"I know it's hard," McGee said. His arm hurt a lot. Gibbs came back around. Ziva ran to him. He hugged her. "Ziva, it could've been Tony," he said.

"I know. Duncan said that I did not deserve anymore suffering. That is why he saved Tony," she said. Gibbs kissed her head. "We got the bastard who did this. All of it. Turns out, he was the leader of this group. Not Fraizer."

"There is always another bastard out there," she said.

"We'll get them, one at a time," Gibbs said.

"But we never get them before someone gets hurt or killed," Ziva said. "When is that going to stop?" She asked.

* * *

**A/N: Not enough time for a long a/n. Writing this chapter after getting the one for What If took too much time. You know the drill, right? Thanks for reading!**


	76. Chapter 76

The team sat under the tent that had been set up in the grave yard. Tony's face was busted up, McGee's arm was in a sling, Gibbs had a really bad cut by his eye and Ziva just looked like a mess. It was cold and raining. Tony took his jacket off and put it around Ziva's shoulders. She grabbed his hand before he pulled it back. It was more for comfort than anything. She really hadn't liked Duncan, but that doesn't mean he deserved to die.

She hadn't heard all the details about what really happened, but she knew he saved Tony. Sure, he had made a stupid decision kissing her. She hadn't told Tony about that yet. She was going to wait until the actual shock of what happened hit her and passed. She cried, of course, but not because this man, whom she barely knew, saved her from another heartbreak. When that reality hit, it was going to be hard to recover from.

Taz and Emma didn't know yet. They still thought the mission was going on. Duncan wanted to be buried in his hometown. He was born in a small town in Oklahoma. They had delivered the body. Ziva had to turn away when his girlfriend saw him in the casket. She turned her head and put her forehead on Tony's shoulder. The reality of what happened was starting to hit him. If he could've just seen that man, Duncan would be alive.

When the service was over, Tony stood up. He pulled his hand from Ziva's and walked away. Ziva looked at Gibbs. "Go," he said. She followed Tony. "Tony," she said. He didn't answer. "Do not ignore me," Ziva said. Tony stopped. She stepped in front of him and took his hands. "It's all my fault, Ziva," he said, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm the reason he's dead."

"No, you are not," Ziva said.

"That bullet should be in my chest, Ziva!" He said.

"And where would we be right now?" She asked. He didn't look at her. "We would be at your funeral, Tony. Instead of just your girlfriend crying over your dead body, you would have your pregnant fiance`. You do not even begin to understand how angry what you just said makes me," she said.

"How does it make you angry? You didn't even like the guy!" Tony exclaimed.

"I did not have to! He is a hero! That man, saved you because he knew that I had already lost too much. He did not save you because you deserved it. He saved me from another heartbreak! When you say that you should be the one with a bullet in your chest, it makes his death nothing but an act of stupidity. Can you not see that?" She asked.

"No, Ziva. I can't."

"When are you going to realize how much people care about you?" She screamed. "For God's sake, McGee carried you to the truck. He was shot, but stood back up to get you to safety! Gibbs has always cared about you! Emma loves you! Taz pretends she does not, but if that was you, she would be devastated!"

"Duncan gave me his vest, he said that it wouldn't be good if the people they were there to save died. I know that people care about me," Tony said.

"Do you? Really?" She asked. "Because you would listen to the person who cares the most if you did," she said.

"Ziva, I'm just having a hard time dealing with the fact that this man saved me. Died, because my life was more important than his," he said.

"Tony, he died in my arms. He told me that he had to save you," Ziva said. Tony sighed. He pulled her into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you," Tony whispered against her lips.

"I love you, too," she said back.

* * *

The team walked into the bullpen. Taz, Lewis, Abby and Emma were there. Emma ran towards Tony. He opened his arms and picked her up into a hug. "Where's the other dude?" Taz asked, not looking up from her phone. She froze when she didn't hear an answer. She stood up. "Ziva, where is he?" She asked again. She looked over at Tony. "What the hell happened?" She asked. Then, she noticed that the whole team was bruised and beaten. "He died, doing his job. And that was rescuing me, Gibbs and Erin," Tony said.

"He saved yorurass, and died?" Taz asked. Tony nodded. "What the hell happened to McGee?" She asked.

"I was shot, carrying Tony, who was unconscious, to safety," McGee explained.

"Oh, my God," Taz said. She looked at Tony. He was standing by his desk, holding Emma. "You're a lot heavier than you were when you were six," he said.

"I know. I've grown a lot," she said. Tony looked at Taz. "You were the one who should've died?" She asked. He nodded. Taz practically ran over to him and hugged him. He wrapped his free arm around her. "You're making physical contact with me," He said.

"It's been a long few days, Tony," Taz said.

"I know," Tony said. Taz pulled back. "No, not just because you all could've died. Mix between school, softball, KJ, marriage and the whole not knowing if you were going to come back or not," Taz said.

"Well, it doesn't exactly help that you've been extremely emotional the past few days," Lewis said. She shot a glare at him. "I can't help that," she said.

"Why has softball been stressful?" Ziva asked. Taz sighed. She gave a sarcastic smile. "Oh, no reason. Other than the fact that I might have gotten throw out of a game last night," she mumbled.

"You got thrown out of the game?" Tony asked. She nodded. "I didn't mean to. It just kind of happened," Taz said.

"What did you do?" McGee asked.

"She didn't slide into home plate, when the catcher was there," Lewis said.

"What does that mean?" Ziva asked. Tony put Emma down and sat at his desk. "It means one hundred and twenty pounds and five feet can do a lot of damage. She tackled the catcher," he said.

"Well, she didn't have the ball," Taz said.

"So, you shouldn't have even touched her," Lewis said. Taz shrugged her shoulders. "She was in my way." Tony shook his head. "Why was school bad?"

"When is school ever good?" Taz asked. "I'm just happy it's Saturday," she said. Lewis pulled a piece of paper out of Taz's backpack. "That test she crammed for," he said, handing it to Tony. He looked at it. "It's an A. What's the problem?" He asked.

"Nothing, but she was an absolute smart ass on her history test," he said. He gave Tony another paper. "In what battle did Napoleon Bonaparte die? You put his last one as your answer?" He asked. She nodded. "Taz, you realize that you have to take school seriously next year," Tony said.

"Why is next year any different than this year?" Taz asked.

"It's your senior year. What are you planning on doing when you leave high school?" Tony asked. Taz was quiet. "You don't have a plan, do you?" Tony asked, standing up. He walked around his desk. Taz looked at her feet. "You can't do this, Taz," Tony said.

"Do what? You don't even know me," She snapped. Tony shook his head. "You have to do something with your life," Tony said.

"I've done plenty with my life."

"Getting drunk and sleeping with every guy you know doesn't count!" Tony yelled. Taz brought her head up and looked into his eyes. "Then what the hell can you say about your life? What did you do in high school and college? Did you have a plan your junior year?" She asked.

"Don't change the subject," he said. "You spent two whole years going to parties, getting drunk, going home with some guy and waking up to do it again."

"At least my days like that only lasted two years," she said. Taz snatched her papers from his desk. She walked out of the bullpen. "Dude, you've got to learn how to get things through her head. I've been fighting with her about that subject for the past year," Lewis said.

"Aren't you going to go find her?" Tony asked.

"Nope, I'm going to give her time to work it out," he said. Tony sat back down at his desk. "I really hope you don't try to help me with my problems when I need it," Emma said. She took a step away from him when she received a glare. "Just saying," she mumbled.


	77. Chapter 77

**A/N: So, I'm thinking about ending this part of Bending the Rules. Don't worry, I would have a second part. I would just take a break in between parts. Maybe have a short, few chapter story in between. What's your opinion on that? Here's chapter 77!**

* * *

"Go home. It's late, DiNozzo. Ziva and Emma already left," Gibbs said. Tony was leaning back in his chair, looking at his computer. "I just don't know if I can face going home," Tony said.

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"Gibbs, I should've been the one with that bullet in my chest," he said. "Duncan gave me his vest, then took a bullet."

"He did that for Ziva, not for you. If Ziva hadn't made such an impression on him, he probably wouldn't have," McGee said. Tony looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"There was a little disagreement over... something... she threw a knife at him, he threw the knife back, she tried to kill him... just normal Ziva temper problems," he said.

"What was that something?" Tony asked. McGee looked at Gibbs. He smirked. "Seats on the plane," Gibbs said. "Ziva told me earlier."

"That makes no sense," Tony said.

"Since when has her reasons for throwing knives made sense?" McGee asked.

"Since she met Tony," Gibbs said. Tony stood up. "I'll see you Monday, after Ziva's doctor's appointment," Tony said.

"Unless someone gets killed," Gibbs said. Tony thought for a second, then walked out.

* * *

Tony walked into the house and was greeted by Ace. He knelt down and petted her. "Are the girls in bed already?" He asked. Ace licked him. "That's what I thought. Okay, you go take care of Emma. Don't let the monsters under the bed get her," he said. Ace ran up the stairs and to Emma's room. Tony smiled and walked upstairs. Ziva had her towel wrapped around her body. He walked behind her and wrapped her in his arms. She turned around and kissed him. What was supposed to just be a 'Hi' kiss, turned into a passionate kiss. Tony went along with it and sat down on the bed. His clothes came off. Ziva pushed him back and kissed him. He took her towel off and threw it with the other clothes on the floor. He made a move to roll them so he was on top, but Ziva didn't let him. "Ziva, I've let you be on top for the past few weeks."

"Because if I am on my back, it is not good for our children," Ziva said. Tony shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds fair, I guess," he said. He noticed something about Ziva. She wasn't... herself. "What's wrong?" He asked her.

"Why do you assume something is wrong?" Ziva asked. Tony took her hand in his. "Considering I've known you for a while, I'm pretty sure I can tell when you're not... you," he said.

"You can tell when something is wrong based on how I kiss you, or how I feel when we are having sex, or how my hands feel on you. Can you honestly say that you can tell by my eyes, or my body language, or my voice when something is wrong?" She asked.

"Yes, I honestly can. Because you're kissing me normally, this doesn't qualify as sex, and your hands feel amazing, like always."

"You are such a pig," she said.

"Ah, you didn't let me finish," he said. "Your eyes are dark, not happy like they usually are. Your body language isn't the Ziva I know and your voice has a hint of emotion in it."

"My voice always has emotion in it," Ziva said.

"Not the emotion I'm talking about, Ziva. What's wrong?" He asked again. She sighed and rolled off of him. He pushed her hair from her face. She hand on his chest. "The reality that he is gone because I meant more to him than his own life."

"I would have done the same thing if our places were reversed," Tony said. Ziva got closer to him. "People try so hard to protect me. They try to get close. All the ones who get too close-"

"Always end up dead. I know Ziva. But, you see, I'm still alive," he said. Ziva nodded. "I know."

"Something happened between you and Duncan, Ziva. Otherwise, you wouldn't be this upset. What happened?" Tony asked. Ziva hesitated to answer. Tony sat up. "You didn't?!" He shouted. She was silent. "You did?" He asked. "Ziva, how could you do that?"

"What do you mean by, that?" Ziva asked. She sat up. Tony got out of the bed. He put his boxers and a t-shirt on. Ziva got up and put a shirt and sweatpants on. "You know damn well what I mean by that," Tony said. He put his jeans back on. He bent down to put his shirt back on. "What are you doing?" Ziva asked.

"To take a walk and decide what I think about this," Tony said. He walked towards the door. Ziva grabbed his hand. "Why are you so interested in me know?" He snapped. "Don't you have a death to mourn?"

"Tony, what the hell do you mean by that? There are so many things that could be," Ziva said.

"Don't play that game, Ziva! I bet you felt bad after you found out we went missing!" Tony said. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Have you done that more than once?" He asked.

"Have you not?" She asked. He threw his hands up. "Do I even know that those children are mine?" He asked. Ziva thought for a second, then it dawned on her. "Wait, you think I slept with him?" She yelled. Tony didn't look at her. "Oh, my God! I cannot believe you thought that I had sex with him! What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked.

"You didn't have sex with him?" Tony asked. Ziva shook her head. "Why on earth would I sleep with another man?" She asked.

"Then what happened?" Tony asked.

"We kissed, Tony. That was all that happened," Ziva said.

"I don't exactly think that's any better," Tony said.

"Okay, he kissed me because I was being stupid. It was an action that saved me from getting shot," she explained. Tony looked at her. "So, he kissed you?" He asked.

"I had to kiss back to make it convincing," Ziva said. Tony shook his head. "You kissed someone else recently," Ziva said.

"How do you come up with that?" He asked. Ziva smirked. "Gibbs told me. I am not angry, as long as it meant nothing to you," Ziva said.

"It didn't really count as a kiss. It was more of-"

"Something to save Erin's life," Ziva said. Tony nodded. "I had to prove to them that I deserved to die because she was my girlfriend."

"That was brave, Tony," Ziva said. He nodded. "I'm sorry that I assumed you cheated on me," Tony said.

"I just wish the pain that people cause would go away. That hurt that you actually thought that I was unfaithful to you," Ziva said. Tony kissed her. "I wish I could take all that pain away. Especially the pain that I cause," Tony said. Ziva smiled. "Well, then, Anthony DiNozzo. Why do we not go back in that bedroom and I will see if you are worthy of taking my pain away," she purred.

"Damn, I'm going to go crazy because you being pregnant, is totally capable of it," Tony said. Ziva backed towards the room. "Take it or leave it," she said. Tony smirked. "I'll take it," he said, kissing her.

* * *

**A/N: Good grief, DiNozzo. Gotta get facts straight before jumping to conclusions. So, what do you think? Please tell me! And what you think about the thing at the top. Thanks for reading!**


	78. Chapter 78

**A/N: Soo sorry about not having a chapter up. I don't have my laptop with me. This was written on my phone, so ignore all mistakes in my writing. Thanks for reviews!**

* * *

Taz walked into the bullpen Monday morning. "Tony, something that you said kind of got me thinking," she said.

"That you need to get your head out of your ass and start taking school seriously?" Tony asked. "Speaking of which, why aren't you there?"

"Seniors don't have to go to a class once they've passed the test," she said.

"But you're a junior," Tony said. Taz shook her head. "I duel-enrolled, Tony. I'm graduating in June."

"That just makes your situation worse," Tony said. Taz sat down. "Tony, this came in the mail today," she handed him a piece of paper. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. They're such a good team, and they have a good school."

"Taz, this is a team halfway across the country! That's a long way to go. What about Lewis?"

"They have a good medicine school," Taz said. Tony looked at the full-ride scholarship. He ran his hand over his face. "But, there's this one," Taz said. She handed him another paper. "Taz, this is major!" Tony exclaimed.

"I know. An academic scholarship and a softball scholarship," Taz said. Gibbs looked up from his work. "But that's not what you want to do, is it?" He asked. Taz shook her head. "You've been dreaming on playing for Oklahoma for your while life," Tony said.

"They offered me an academic scholarship. I doubt they'll want me on their softball team."

"What is your plan for after high school?" Ziva asked. Taz looked at her feet. "I want to join the Marines," she said. Tony stood up. "Taz, that's a big decision," he said.

"I know, it's not a certain thing. I might still consider my softball and academic scholarship."

"Not if the rest of your tests look like that history test," McGee said. Taz pulled her binder out of her backpack. She got a staple set of papers. "This is my progress report. You'll see that the most recent history test is an A," she said.

"What was the one that you showed us?" Tony asked.

"A prank, just to see what you would say. I have very good grades, but my image and personality don't back that up, so I just say that I do bad in school," Taz explained.

"When will you leave?" Ziva asked.

"If I decide to take the softball one, June. If I take the academic one, July. If I choose the Marines, the day after I graduate. That's when all people planning to go leave." She looked at the stunned faces. Tony looked at her. "How is Emma going to take this?" He asked.

"She'll live," Taz said. "I'm thinking about taking the softball one."

"Oklahoma?" Tony asked. Taz shook her head. "Florida. I have until May."

"It's March," Gibbs said. Taz put all the papers away. "Speaking of which, what are you guys planning on doing with Emma during your honeymoon?" Taz asked.

"Her mother should be back in town," Ziva said.

"How many brides maids do you have?" Taz asked. Ziva thought. "Abby, Breena, you and Emma is the flower girl," Ziva said.

"Wait, I'm expected to wear a dress, get my hair and makeup done and walk with a complete stranger?" Taz asked. Ziva nodded. "Not a complete stranger. Tony's father is going to walk with you," Ziva said. Taz smiled. "That'll be fun," she said.

"What color are the dresses?" Taz asked.

"The color is supposed to be navy, right?" Tony asked.

"Yes. It is," Ziva said. Taz smiled. "When's the bachelorette party?" She asked slyly. Ziva looked across at Tony. "The night before," Ziva said.

"Why day are you planning on getting married?" Taz asked.

"A Saturday," Tony said. Gibbs stood up."Grab your gear!" He said. Taz grabbed her bag. She stood up and walked to the elevator. "Please, try not to die," she said. Gibbs smirked. "Since you said please," he said. Taz got off with them. "I think security is getting tired of me," she said.

"I doubt it," Tony said. Taz got in her car. Gibbs told the team to go ahead. "If you decide to go to the Marines, do me a favor and avoid having to be questioned by NCIS," he said.

"Don't tell Tony, but I'm really considering becoming a cop."

"I think you want a job where you can carry a gun," Gibbs said. Taz smirked. "You think correctly," she said. Gibbs closed the door and walked to the car. He got in the passenger seat. McGee was driving. "You had better get there on time," he said.

"Just because I drive at a normal speed," McGee said. He started driving. "You let Tony and Ziva take the van... alone?" Gibbs asked.

"Ziva's pissed at Tony right now. Actually, she's pissed at the world," McGee said. Gibbs laughed. "Get used to it, McGee. We've still got until July to deal with her," he said. McGee sighed.

* * *

"She's a senior," Tony said. He took pictures of the Marine who appeared to have been killed in a car wreck. "How does a seventeen year old end up as a senior?" He asked.

"She duel-enrolled, Tony," Ziva said. She looked down at the river they were by. She leaned over the edge of the bridge. Tony grabbed her arm. "Please don't fall," he said.

"I was not going to fall," she snapped. Tony put his hands up. "Fine, I'll let you fall into the cold water. That is moving pretty fast."

"Maybe I would prefer that," Ziva said. Tony turned back to the crushed up car. "One car, three bodies," the police officer said. Gibbs stood beside Tony. "Ziver, get all the information that has already been collected," he said. Ziva walked with the man to the other side of the bridge. "DiNozzo, why the hell are you standing still?" Gibbs asked.

"I was just..." He trailed off. Gibbs waited for and answer, but got impatient. "Staring at her ass," he finished.

"Sorry, boss," Tony said. He went back to the car. "Boss, you need to see this," McGee said. Gibbs walked to McGee. They were looking down into the river. They saw another body. "Palmer," Gibbs said. Palmer ran over to them. "I will get Doctor Mallard after the other three bodies are examined."

"Okay," Gibbs said. Tony came over and snapped a picture. Ziva came behind Gibbs. "We have a problem," she said.

"And that is?" Gibbs asked. Ziva sighed. "Three bodies. Two Marines..." She stopped. Gibbs looked at her. "One child. Barely over nine years old." Gibbs looked at the body down in the river. "So, we've got a family. One person was the target, three others died," Gibbs said.

"Bullet went through the driver's head. This wasn't intended to kill one person," Ducky said. He stood beside them. "Young female and male, eight or nine year old child and, Mr. Palmer..." Ducky said. Palmer turned the body over. "Looks like a teenage girl," Palmer said. Gibbs looked down at the the girl. "Two children murdered because one person didn't like their father," he said.

"Sounds very unreasonable," Ducky said. Tony looked over at the three other members. The child was a little girl. The thought made him sick to his stomach. Ziva had to turn away. "When you saw that little girl, did you imagine her as Emma?" She asked.

"It just reminded me of her," Tony said. "We can't protect her from everything."

**A/N: I'm pissed off right now, so not enough patience with my phone to have a long note. Please tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	79. Chapter 79

**A/N: I got my laptop! So. Freakin. Happy. Beyond belief. Thanks for all your reviews! I'm so happy about chapter 79! Sorry about the short a/n. I don't have much to say! Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Oh, my God! No, you're a bastard and an idiot and I hope you rot in hell!" Taz yelled into her phone. She hung up and slammed it on the desk. "Who the hell was that?" Tony asked.

"Why does it matter?" Taz asked. Emma hit her in the leg. "Be nice," she said. Taz took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, that was the sorry excuse for a human. Also known as the person I'm stuck with as a partner in history," she said.

"Sucks to be you," Tony said.

"I know right? I just..." Taz trailed off. She saw the pictures of their victims on the screen. "I take it you know one of these people?" Gibbs asked. Taz shook her head. "No, I just saw the child and wanted to vomit," she said.

"The feeling came to all of us," McGee said. Emma looked at the screen. "Why did it rattle you so much?" She asked.

"Emma, that girl looks like you," Ziva said. Emma squinted and looked at the young girl. "I don't see it," she said. McGee shook his head. "She doesn't look exactly like you. The face favors yours," he said.

"Okay. I don't see it at all," she said. Taz grabbed her ringing phone. She groaned loudly. "Why can't you leave me the hell alone?!" She yelled. She grabbed her things and stormed out of the bullpen, yelling at the person on the phone. "Does she have a softball game tonight?" Tony asked.

"Yes, why?" Emma asked. Tony picked up a set of keys. "She won't be getting anywhere," he said. The elevator opened again. "No, we aren't doing our project on the damn Civil War. I don't care if nobody else chose that!" She took the keys. She mouthed 'Thank you' to Tony. He nodded. "Don't you dare throw all these damn facts at me! Did you really just call me a dumb bitch? Well, I have something to say to that, mister." Much to the teams delight, the doors closed before Emma could hear whatever Taz had to say. "How was school today, Emma?" Ziva asked.

"Awful. George pushed from the top of the playground. But, my NCIS training kicked in. I pulled him with me. He broke my fall," she smirked. Tony reached across and gave her a high-five. McGee jumped up from his chair. "Jeez, what the heck?" Emma asked.

"Ah, I see you found the lizard I put at your desk," Tony said. McGee glared at him. "Thanks for that, Tony," he said.

"Anytime, Probie!" Tony said. McGee sat back down. He picked the lizard up. Tony grabbed it and put it in a container. Gibbs stood up. "Abby's lab," he said.

* * *

"So, in our teenager's laptop, I found an interesting email," Abby said. She pulled in up on the screen. The team, and Emma, stepped towards the screen. There was calm picture with calm music. All of a sudden, a loud screech and an alien face popped up on the screen. Tony and McGee jumped back five feet. Tony placed his hand over his heart. "Really?" Emma asked.

"You didn't even jump," McGee said.

"Neither did Ziva," Emma said.

"Well, she's a ninja and is the master of giving me heart palpitations," Tony said.

"Gibbs did not jump," Ziva said. McGee looked at Gibbs. "Yeah, but he's... Gibbs," he said. Emma laughed. "You guys are wimps," she said. Tony stood up straight. "I'll find a way to scare you," he said. Emma tried to hold back her laugh, but failed. "Good luck with that," she said. She skipped out of the lab. "I agree with her," Ziva said. She followed Emma. "Is that all you have, Abby?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to see the reactions," Abby said. Gibbs glared at her. "Okay, fine. The bullet that killed our Petty Officer was lodged in the passenger side door. Your murder weapon is..." Abby stopped. She stared at the match that was found. "Timothy McGee, you had better have a damn good explanation for this," Abby snapped. She put the match up on the screen. The murder weapon was McGee's gun. "My gun is upstairs," he said.

"Are you sure it's your gun?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I would notice if it wasn't," he said. Abby tossed Gibbs a pair of gloves. "Please go get his gun," she said. Gibbs walked upstairs. Abby turned to McGee. "I'll leave this for you two to handle," Tony said.

"No, I might need someone to keep me out of prison," she said. Tony stopped where he was. "Why would I need to do that?" He asked.

"Because I am about to kill McGee," she said. Tony looked between the two of them. "Abby, I was with you last night," he said. She glared at him. "Wait, you were with her last night?" Tony asked.

"You need to stick your big foot in your even bigger mouth," Abby said. Tony stepped closer. "McGee and Abby. What was it like in the coffin, McGee?" Tony asked. "Did she turn you into a vampire?" Tony reached to pull McGee's shirt collar down. McGee slapped his hand. Gibbs slapped Tony's head. "McGee and Abby are doing it!" He announced to the world.

"Doing what?" Emma asked, walking back in. Tony turned around. "The horizontal dance," Tony said. Emma looked at him confused. Ziva punched him in the stomach. "Stop it," she hissed. Abby took McGee's gun to the back. She came out a few minutes later with a bullet. "Have you fired this recently?" She asked.

"No, why?" McGee asked. Abby took a deep breath. She started running it through her machine. She started with fingerprints next. "Because you should have a full magazine, but there was one missing," she said. The whole team looked at McGee. "This is the same gun used to kill four innocent people," she said. "Two children," she added. She started running fingerprints. "McGee," Emma said.

"I didn't kill them! Abby is my witness that I was nowhere near that bridge last night!" McGee said. Abby turned to him. "Where did you go around midnight?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" McGee asked. Abby had tears in her eyes. "You left around midnight and didn't come back until two," she said. McGee stood still. "How did you know I left?" He asked. Abby was staring at him. "When did Ducky say Petty Officer Harper was killed?" Abby asked. She walked over to her computer. "Around one," Tony said. Abby pulled up a map on her computer. "McGee! If you left at midnight, that puts you in the right place at the right time. I don't mean that in a good way either. You had enough time to get there, be there by one, come back and be there when I woke up," Abby said. She pulled up the pictures from the crime scene. "I have tire tracks and footprints to match, but that's the last resort, McGee," she said.

"Abby, I got a call last night from my sister. She had been in a wreck. I went in the complete opposite direction of the bridge. To the hospital, to see my sister. I stayed there from twelve-thirty to one-thirty. While she received treatments, I was there to comfort her. She was lucky and only had a couple of bruises and cuts," McGee explained. She pulled up matches on the fingerprints. "Only your fingerprints," she said.

"It's my gun!" McGee said. Abby started matches on the tire tracks and footprints. "I have two witnesses," McGee said. "My sister and Penelope," McGee said. He stepped closer to Abby. "The match on the tires came so fast, because it's a freaking agency car!" Abby yelled. The match on the footprint came next. "Give me your shoe," she said. McGee took his shoe off. "Match," she said.

"I didn't wear those shoes last night," McGee said. Gibbs butted in. "McGee! Every piece of evidence points to you! What the hell were you doing last night?" He yelled. McGee backed away and walked out of the lab. "I got this one," Tony said. He followed McGee.

* * *

**A/N: UH OH! What the hell happened? Abby is pissed off at him. Like major. So, I'm thinking about ending the first part in the next chapter, then starting a sequel. What's your opinion on this? Please tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	80. Chapter 80

**A/N: So, I fell asleep writing this because I had a really long day yesterday and it was late. Sorry bout not having it up yesterday. I have one more chapter after this before I end it. Then, start the sequel. Thank you for your reviews! Please enjoy**

* * *

Tony stepped into the elevator with McGee. "Great. Are you here to say I murdered that family?" He asked. Tony flipped the switch. "No, I'm here to say that Abby's not trying to get you in jail," he said.

"Then why was she yelling at me and not believing me?" McGee asked.

"Because she's getting worried that her findings are going to be wrong or right and you're going to end up being taken away from her," Tony said. He looked at McGee. "Someone's framing you, Tim," he said.

"No shit, Tony," McGee said. Tony put his hands up in defense. "No need to get snappy, McKiller," Tony said. McGee glared at Tony. "I was no where near that bridge. I-" he stopped. He flipped the switch and walked back to the lab. "Abby, I didn't take an agency car last night," he said.

"How should she know? Did you do it in the car?" Tony asked. Ziva stomped on his foot. "No, we went to dinner last night," McGee said.

"I stayed at your place. I left my gun in the car," McGee said. Abby looked at him. "So, I could check the cameras, check your car and check the parking lot," Abby said.

"McGee, stay here. Tony, you're with me."

"What can I do?" Ziva asked. Gibbs thought. "Make sure Abby doesn't kill McGee," he said. Ziva sighed. "Don't get all huffy, Ziva. This is what you get for sleeping with Tony," McGee said.

"Yes, and you become a suspect for murder because you decided to leave and return at the exact time the killer would have," Ziva snapped. McGee glared at her. "I am sorry, McGee. Staying here while everyone else goes to do field work is hard," Ziva said.

"I know," McGee said. Abby turned around. "Do you two want to help me, or do you want me to do this on my own while you make out?" She asked. McGee stood beside her. Abby pulled up the security footage. "My gun was gone when I got in my car. I thought I had left it, but I was too worried about Sarah to go back and look for it," McGee said. Abby backed the camera up. "There!" McGee said. A man was opening the car door. He got McGee's gun and put McGee's other shoes on. "Can we get a face?" Ziva asked.

"So far, there isn't a shot where I can get a shot of his face," Abby said. They watched as the man drove away in an agency car. "So, they have to work here," McGee said.

"Really, McGee? I thought they would work at McDonald's," Emma said. McGee turned around and glared at her. "Hey, don't blame me. Sarcasm is my second language," Emma said.

"Well, we speak our first language, and you should do the same," McGee said.

"You left around midnight. The mystery person came around eleven. They left about ten minutes later," Abby said.

"Why wasn't your car locked?" Emma asked.

"Probably did not have time to think about it," Ziva said. She pressed the key that made the footage go backwards. She stopped it when McGee's car pulled into the parking lot. Him and Abby stayed in the car for a few minutes. "What happened in the magical five minutes you were in there?" She asked.

"You need time away from Tony," McGee said.

"I know," Ziva said. She sighed. "Anyway, when you came came back, the man waited until you were gone to return the things he took," Abby said. They watched as the man turned and walked away. "Is your car here?" Ziva asked.

"Yes," McGee said. Abby grabbed his keys out of his pocket. "Tim, please get your car into the evidence garage," she said. McGee took his keys and went out. "And, Ziva," Abby said.

"Yes, Abby?" Ziva asked.

"I need you to go get this car," Abby handed Ziva the license plate number. "I have to get the key from the right team," she said.

"Then, go," Abby said. Ziva rolled her eyes. She went to the elevator. Emma followed Ziva. "So, someone is trying to frame McGee," Emma said.

"You do not give this information out to anyone, do you?" Ziva asked. Emma gave her a 'really?' look. "I have one friend, that friend has one friend. Macy zones out when I talk about anything NCIS related."

"You need to get out of the house more," Ziva said. Emma threw her hands up in the air. "It's kinda hard when you live with federal agents," Emma said. They stepped out of the elevator. "Stay here," Ziva said. Emma sat in the bullpen. Ziva went to Vance's office. "Do you know what team this car belongs to?" She asked.

"Agent Norton's team," Vance said.

"How do you know that off the top of your head," she asked. Vance looked up. "I don't. That car is missing, Agent David," Vance said.

"How did someone steal it?" She asked. Vance stood up. "Norton left the keys on his desk. They were pretty much up for grabs."

"That car was used in the murder of Petty Officer Harper and his family," Ziva said. "Along with McGee's gun."

"Someone is trying to frame Agent McGee?" Vance asked.

"His footprint was found at the crime scene," Ziva said.

"Are you trying to tell me someone framed him, or that he killed four innocent people?" Vance asked.

"He was at the hospital across town at the time of the murder. His sister was in a wreck," Ziva said.

"Was she okay?" Vance asked. Ziva nodded. "I need to get back down to the bullpen before Emma makes the place explode," she said. "Thank you, Director." Ziva walked out and went down to the bullpen. "Up," Ziva said. Emma frowned and got out of Ziva's chair. McGee came into the bullpen. "This is killing me," he said.

"I guess that's better than a gun killing you," Emma said. McGee tried sitting down, but he couldn't stay still long enough. "I would rather have a bullet through my chest," he said.

"That can be arranged," Ziva said. McGee was pacing. "Sit down!" Emma said.

"What if you were being framed for murder?" He asked.

"I'm seven. I seriously doubt anyone would think I killed someone," Emma said. McGee took his jacket off. "Are you sweating?" Emma asked.

"Yes!" McGee said. He loosened his tie. "It could be worse," Emma said.

"How?" McGee asked. He rolled his sleeves up. "The FBI could be here. Oh, wait," a voice said. They turned to see Fornell. "They are," he said. McGee looked like he was about to puke. "Hey, McGee, this is a new top," Emma said with an attitude. "The garbage can is right there." She pointed to his garbage can. Fornell walked in. "Timothy McGee, we've received intel that you were at the scene of a murder. You're the prime suspect." Gibbs came in. He stopped when he saw Fornell. "You're going to need to come in for questioning," Frornell continued.

"This is our case, Tobias," Gibbs said.

"Yes, I know. But because your agent is the prime suspect, the case will be handed over for us to handle," Fornell said. McGee ran his fingers through his hair. Of course, Gibbs had to pull Fornell into the elevator to have a "meeting" with him. Tony leaned down and kissed Ziva. She pulled back. "What?" He asked.

"Abby needs to be told," she said. Tony looked over at McGee. "Did you guys find anything?" He asked.

"Nothing," Tony said. Abby came running to McGee. She hugged him. "I got fingerprints," she said. Fornell and Gibbs walked out of the elevator. She had a glare on her face. "Abby," McGee said. She turned to face him. Tony took the paper from McGee. He walked to Fornell. "You can't take McGee, unless you take him, too."

"Who the hell is this?" Fornell asked. Abby approached him. "The idiot who forgot that he works at the agency with the best forensic scientist in the world," Tony said.

"Thank you, Tony," Abby said. Fornell took the paper. "His fingerprint, blood and piece of hair were all in McGee's car," Abby said. She picked up McGee's shoe. "These are new, right?" Abby asked.

"Yeah," McGee said. "I today was the first day I wore them."

"There was dirt from the bridge lodged in the bottom. McGee has two witnesses along with the nurses at the hospital to prove that he was nowhere near that bridge at the time of the murder," Abby said. Fornell looked at Gibbs. "Evidence doesn't lie, Tobias," Gibbs said.

"So, that means McGee is clear," Tony said with a smirk. "Looks like you've officially been after every single person on Gibbs' team, and been wrong about it every time."

* * *

"I can't believe your timing Abby," McGee said once Fornell was gone. He pulled her into a kiss. Emma made a sound of disgust. Tony looked at her and went over to Ziva. He kissed her. "What is this, tongue central?" She asked.

"It might just be," Gibbs said. He walked by Tony and Ziva. He hit Tony's head. Then, he walked over to McGee and Abby and hit McGee's head. "This isn't just a place where you can make out whenever you want. We still have a job to finish," he said. Abby got free of McGee's arms. "Wait, if that was the man who murdered our Petty Officer, how did the keys from this agency end up with him?" Ziva asked.

"Obviously, someone in the agency took the keys, and gave them away," Gibbs said. Abby gave him another piece of paper. It was the footage from the office. She had an ID of the woman as well. "Allison Graves," Tony said with a smirk. Ziva hit his arm. "Really?" She asked.

"What? All I know is that her husband has a bad reputation," Tony said. "There's a good chance that's our man."

"The mail lady?" Emma asked. Tony nodded. "Guess we need to ask her a few questions," Gibbs said.

* * *

**A/N: So, they avoided the FBI... for now. So, I'm gonna try and get a chapter for What If up, but there are no promises. Please tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	81. Chapter 81

**A/N: So, this is the last chapter of Bending the rules... don't worry, there;ll be a sequel. Thank you for 81 great chapters! Thanks for all of the reviews and favorites and follows from day one! I love you all and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Who did you give the keys to?" Ziva asked. Allison Graves looked up from her lap. Tony was standing in the corner. Graves was a young, beautiful woman with brown hair and blue eyes. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered.

"We have a picture of you taking the keys of Agent Norton's team from his desk," Ziva said. She pushed the picture towards Graves. "I g-gave them to my husband. Andy wants a Dodge Charger, and I wanted him to drive one before he spent money on one. He gave me the keys, but I lost them," she said.

"Where is the car?" Ziva asked. Graves pushed a strand of hair from her face. "Behind my house. I didn't want to raise suspicion of it being in my front driveway."

"Did you know that your husband's fingerprints, blood and hair was in Agent McGee's car?" Ziva asked.

"Why was he messing with Agent McGee's car?" She asked.

"He took the gun and shoes from the car, drove away in the agency car and returned an hour or so later. Do you know this family?" Ziva asked. She showed a picture of their family when they were alive. "Yes, Andy is best friends with Petty Officer Harper." Graves said.

"You were having an affair with Harper, weren't you?" Tony asked. Graves looked at him. "It was only while Andy was away for business. We had a couple of drinks and one thing led to another."

"Andy found out when he came back, didn't he?" Tony asked. Graves nodded. "Harper's fifteen-year-old daughter told Andy," she said. "He was really angry with Harper."

"Angry enough to kill?" Ziva asked. Graves looked up with tears in her eyes. "What are you implying?" She asked. Ziva showed the pictures of the dead family now. "Oh, my God!" Graves gasped.

"Harper was shot with the gun your husband stole. His footprint was found as well. Where was he around one last night?" Ziva asked.

"He said... he had a job to do," Graves said. She let out a sob. "Allison, it is very important that you tell us where he is," Ziva said.

"I don't know where he is. He doesn't tell me where he is during the day. I learned not to question because he makes a lot of money," Graves said. She pulled out her cellphone with shaking hands. "I can call him," she said.

"That will work," Ziva said. She turned to the glass, telling McGee to track the phone. "Andy, where are you?" Graves asked. She kept her husband on the phone long enough for McGee to track it. When she hung up, she put her phone down and started crying. Ziva put her hand on top of Graves', comforting her. "Allison, are you carrying Harper's child?" Ziva asked. She nodded. "Andy doesn't know yet," she sobbed. Ziva looked at Tony. They walked out of the interrogation room. "Gibbs and McGee probably went to get Andy," Tony said.

"We should probably make sure Emma is still in one piece," Ziva said. They walked down to Abby's lab. Emma was having a conversation with Abby. "What are you doing?" Tony asked.

"Talking about how you can figure out who stole something without all the fancy computers," Emma said.

"Why?" Ziva asked.

"Just wondering," Emma replied. She stood up. "We're not going home yet," Tony said. She sat back down. "Then when are we going?" She whined.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Ziva asked.

"No, but I'm tired," Emma said. Tony shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds like a personal problem to me," he said. Emma rolled her eyes. "I hope they stick like that one day," Tony said.

* * *

"This has been the longest freaking day of my life," McGee said. He leaned back in his chair. "So, I never got the answer to my question," Tony said. He and Ziva walked over to the desk. They both had the same expression on their face. "That one question," Tony said.

"And that was?" McGee asked.

"Did she turn you into a vampire?" Tony asked. He and Ziva exchanged a sideways glance. "Coffin or couch?" Ziva asked. McGee rolled his eyes. "Come on, McGee. Just answer yes or no, and coffin or cough," Tony said. McGee raised his eyebrows. "You really want to know?" He asked.

"Of course," Tony said. McGee had a wicked smirk on his face. "If she had the ability to turn me into a vampire, then your lives would be in danger right now. And the coffin doesn't really allow for much movement," McGee said.

"You don't have to move that much, McSex Machine," Tony said.

"Then you obviously haven't slept with Abby before," McGee said. Tony's jaw dropped. "Really?" He asked. Ziva sighed and pulled Tony away from McGee's desk. "Goodnight, McGee," Ziva said over her shoulder. Tony was still hesitating to leave without putting up a fight. "Just go, Tony," Emma said. He finally gave up and walked to the elevator. "Do you think he was lying?" Tony asked.

"I do not know," Ziva said. Emma gasped. "I left my iPod in Abby's lab!" She exclaimed.

"I will go get it. I need to talk with Abby anyway," Ziva said. She went down to Abby's lab while Tony and Emma went to the car. She heard the music turned all the way up. She walked to the door, but it didn't open. She tried to get it to open. She cupped her hands around her eyes and looked into the room. She saw Abby and McGee kissing. She saw that it was escalating fast, so she turned around and walked out. She walked back in and knocked on the door. Abby came over and turned the music off. She opened the door. Ziva had to put her Mossad face on. "Emma left her iPod in here. May I please get it for her?" She asked.

"Yeah," Abby said. Ziva stepped forward to go in. Abby stopped her. She got Emma's iPod and handed it to Ziva. "Abby, is there a reason I cannot go in?" She asked.

"Maybe," she said. Ziva smiled. "You are not actually going to..." she stopped.

"Oh, hell no. Not here. Gibbs could walk in. It was just a kiss that kind of led to a few things," Abby said. Ziva grabbed Abby's hands. She put them on her stomach. "They are asleep right now, but if you want to carry this annoying belly around, carry on," she said.

"Ziva, it's not like I'm never going to have kids," Abby said.

"I know that. But wait, please. Gibbs, Tony and poor McGee can't deal with both of us being pregnant. Use protection," Ziva said. Abby nodded. "Yes ma'am," she said. Ziva walked out.

When she got to the car, she handed Emma her iPod. Then, she turned to Tony. "He was not lying," she said. Tony turned to face her. "And I missed it?!" He exclaimed.

"It was a kiss," Ziva said. Tony sighed. "Man, I would've had a field day with that," Tony said.

"Which is why it is a good thing I went," Ziva said.

"But that's no fun," Tony said. He started driving. They pulled into their driveway. Emma got the keys and ran to the door. She opened it and was greeted with Ace. Tony smiled. "Ziva, you realize that next month, we're getting married," he said. Ziva kissed him. "Yeah, I know," she whispered against his lips. They walked up to their room. Ziva pulled her hair into a ponytail. She put one of Tony's sweatshirts on and a pair of shorts. She went to the kitchen and fixed Emma a sandwich. Emma sat at the table and ate her sandwich. Ziva braided Emma's hair. When Emma finished, she went upstairs to bed. Ziva went up the stairs. Tony pulled her into a kiss. When his hands slipped under her sweatshirt, she pulled back. "Not tonight," she said. Tony sighed. "Really?" Tony asked.

"Tony," she said. He kissed her again. His lips touched her neck and her legs almost gave out. "Are you really going to do this to me?" She asked. Tony pulled back. "Of course not. You don't want to, and I respect that," he said.

"Thank you," Ziva said. She kissed him. When they got in bed, Tony's arm instinctively went around her waist. He decided to change it up and rested his hand protectively on her stomach. Ziva put her hand on top of his. "I love you, Ziva," he said.

"I love you, Tony," she replied. She fell asleep. Tony stared at the beauty he had in his arms. "I'm so lucky to have you, Ziva," he whispered. He kissed her head and fell into a restful sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to take a few days off before starting on the sequel. I'll put a few chapter story in there, but that's only going to be like three chapters. Please tell me what you think and thanks again for the amazing time!**


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